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SALT LAKE CITY — People looking for fresh produce at the Downtown Farmers Market were worried about the selection available to them, but farmers say this year's beginning-of-the-season offerings were better than last year's.
Though summer does not officially start until June 21, at Saturday's farmers market, it felt like it had already begun. More produce was on farmers' tables than was on the opening day of the market last year.
Ben Hogan, of East Farms in Layton, said the rainstorms a couple of weeks ago and the sun that followed have helped his crops grow.
"Everyone is a little bit surprised we got peas, English peas, and beets big enough to eat, and they rose, so they're good, and the lettuce is going," Hogan said. "This last week, it's been hot and the peas came on and the beets and radishes just started going crazy."
So what does this mean for you? Better quality vegetables and a more diverse selection of produce earlier in the season.
Wilkerson Farm, from Orem, even had fresh strawberries for sale Saturday. Richard Wilkerson said there was no way they would have had them at this time last year.
"Last year, we weren't able to get here until early July," he said. "Here it is, June 8, and everything is looking a little bit better and a little bigger."
Of course, it's still early in the growing season, and dry, hot weather is in the forecast, concerning farmers.
"It's getting hot, so definitely, it's going to affect us in the next week or so," Hogan said.
Farmers would like to see a little more rain, especially to get some of their fruit selections going.
