Cantaloupe, Israeli melons, watermelon varieties, and some apples and perhaps pears continue. There is a slight possibility that blueberries and peaches will return this week. Broad choices of varieties and sizes of tomatoes, squash, and eggplant continue. Find peppers in a wide range of size, color and piquancy, like the golf-ball sized bright red cherry pepper packing a hot pepper punch. The farmer knows the use for each variety. Cucumbers, onions, red and white potatoes are also available.

Green beans, beets, okra, and shelled peas may be available in limited quantities. Greens might include salad greens, kale, Swiss chard, mizuna, arugula, and both Malabar and water spinach. Herbs and seasonings are dried garlic, basil, mint, and rosemary, plus bottles of dried seasonings and perhaps salad dressings. Watermelon radishes are a fun find.

Non-produce items include pastured beef, pork, and chicken raised on a natural diet. Free range eggs and Gulf seafood add to protein choices. Eggs are in more limited supply as laying hens’ production decreases with the heat. Consider placing an order in advance during the summer months.

Artisan cheeses, butter, honey, a large variety of small batch prepared foods, breads, pasta, snacks, pies, cookies, scones, mixes, whole grains, tea and coffee, tamales, doggie biscuits, olive oil, vinegar, chocolate truffles, lemonade, crafted fruit popsicles, soaps and lotions round out the offerings. Specialty vendor Pop’s Kettle Corn will have a booth this weekend.

Buying too much to carry easily? Find the free Veggie Valet service on both the east and west sides of the market to keep your purchases while you pull your car up close for loading. A National Honor Society teen is there to help you out.

Please note that we are a local, seasonal farmers market; meaning that our farmers bring only what is ripening in their fields each week and some produce is short lived due to a short growing season. Eating with the seasons takes education, awareness and patience! For a chart of what’s in season now, click here. Our farmers use various growing methods. Some produce is organic (not certified), some is sustainable, and some is grown conventionally. Just ask the farmers.

Although the dog days of summer are upon us, customers can keep cool eating the peaches and blueberries that will continue for weeks, since the farmers amended their report from last week. Weather makes such a difference!

Also find juicy pears, apples, perhaps grapes and figs, Israeli melons, Nubus melons, Eden’s gem heirloom variety, Sarah’s choice cantaloupe, and Stars and Stripes, Delta, and seedless watermelons.

A recent surprise addition to the produce mix are some early fall squash like butternut, acorn, delicata, and spaghetti, plus a few pie pumpkins. All varieties of summer squash continue in abundance.

In addition to the usual plentiful choices of summer vegetables, some interesting varieties to be found include heirloom tomatoes, even some that are purple, and “lunchbox” peppers among the many other types.

Biscuit Head is worth a look for fresh herbs. John Stewart has dried olive leaves for a green tea purported to lower blood pressure and blood sugar among other attributes. He has small bags of other fresh herbs too. Greens and Goodies offers Malabar spinach buds that can be stir fried with vegetables or eaten as is for an interesting crunch and boost of those purple sourced antioxidants.

Recent additions by vendor producers include Paul Wackym’s seasonal and popular Hatch Chocolate Chip Cookies. Texas Olive Ranch has added Boom Extra Virgin Olive Oil, a blend of ten varieties that chefs are enjoying. Village Baking Company has Meyer Lemon Bread.

Look for chocolate and macaroon Chef Joe Baker on the Food Network, August 4, on the King of Cones Ice Cream show. He will have watermelon macaroons again this week.

Pop Star Popsicles was added a few weeks ago as a regular vendor. John Doumas brings small batch crafted popsicles made from fresh fruits, many from the Coppell Farmers Market producers, like cantaloupe from Pure Land Organic and peaches from Larken Farms. Doumas purees the fruit and complements it with fresh squeezed lime or lemon, adding fair trade organic evaporated cane syrup, and organic dairy. He also offers a dairy free coconut lime.

In addition to spices and spiced nuts, Good Spice also has CJ Singleton’s fresh, pint-sized cold drinks like blueberry-sage limeade and strawberry-maple lemonade. He also carries larger sizes to take home. The flavors from both of these vendors are authentic and robust, nothing artificial added, so if a customer likes that fruit they will like that treat.

Buying too much to carry easily? Find the free Veggie Valet service on both the east and west sides of the market to keep your purchases while you pull your car up close for loading. A National Honor Society teen is there to help you out.

As usual, please note that we are a local, seasonal farmers market; meaning that our farmers bring only what is ripening in their fields each week and some produce is short lived due to a short growing season. Eating with the seasons takes education, awareness and patience! For a chart of what’s in season now, click here. Our farmers use various growing methods. Some produce is organic (not certified), some is sustainable, and some is grown conventionally. Just ask the farmers.

If you noticed the Coppell Farmers Market volunteers at the three main entry points last Saturday (July 19), they were doing the annual customer (and dog) count. The committee and vendors have reported that they thought there has been a surge in customers with the new location. The data backs up that guess. The volunteers recorded 2,024 customers of all ages and 85 dogs visited the market, up from 1,381 customers a year ago – a jump of almost 700 folks! There is also 41 Vendors that support the Coppell Farmers Market by bringing their fresh produce and products every week!  Your continued and growing support for the market is greatly appreciated!

Peaches and blueberries continue, and with the addition of cantaloupe and watermelon the market has a fresh, summery fruit scent.

If you find shelled peas, strawberries, or broccoli, buy now as those seasons are ending. Cabbage, beets, and carrots will also be in short supply.

The classic summer vegetables – cucumbers, squash, peppers, and tomatoes – are plentiful. Also available are corn, onions, potatoes, green beans, eggplant, okra, Malabar and water spinach, micro-cilantro, squash blossoms, arugula flowers, garlic, and tomatillos.

Herbs, such as mints, spicy oregano, and basil varietals are on offer. Several sprouts and wheat grass are also available. Green leafy vegetables can be grown hydroponically in green houses so find a selection for salads or cooking. Kale continues due to hard work on the part of the farmers to keep it going.

Non-produce items include pastured beef, lamb, pork, and chicken raised on a natural diet. Free range eggs, Artisan cheeses, butter, Gulf seafood, honey, a large variety of prepared foods, snacks and desserts, mixes, lemonade and coffee, popsicles, vinegar and olive oil along with doggie treats, soaps and lotions, bedding and edible plants round out the offerings.

Veggie Valet is now available on both the east and west sides of the market to assist customers in getting heavy purchases to their cars. Find the bins and ask a teen how it works. Or leave purchases in a bin, take the corresponding number card, and pull up your car to avoid carrying items long distances.  For more information, please see here.

We are a local, seasonal farmers market; meaning that our farmers bring only what is ripening in their fields each week and some produce is short lived due to a short growing season. Eating with the seasons takes education, awareness and patience! For a chart of what’s in season now, click here. Our farmers use various growing methods. Some produce is organic (not certified), some is sustainable, and some is grown conventionally. Just ask the farmers.

The Coppell Farmers Market is proud to announce that it has launched an entirely redesigned, state-of-the-art website and invites you to check it out.  The new site is straightforward and easy to navigate and features the following:

• Visuals - lots and lots of pictures
• Informative - articles that explain farming challenges, how the farmers market is run, value-added products, produce details, etc., for both newbies and experienced shoppers alike
• Vendor pages - everyone is listed, explained, pictured and categorized
• Newsy - events, products and news pertaining to the farmers market are shared
• Repository for Recipes - an ongoing project to reflect foods of the season
• Searchable - give it a go
• So much more - have fun browsing!

Built by website development company THIRDinteractive, the Coppell Farmers Market committee members reviewed other farmers market sites and scrutinized our old site to choose goals and features desired on the new one. THIRDinteractive put it all together in a visually pleasing, very functional and fun site. Committee member Marca Hiller led and coordinated the whole effort. 

Go to Facebook or Twitter and tell us what you think!