Ripe for the pickin'

It's that time of year again.

Local residents can now pick up fresh produce at the Kinston-Lenoir County Farmers Market, which officially opened Friday.

Kinston Mayor O.A. "Buddy" Ritch and other elected and civic leaders gathered in the market's pavilion for a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The market, which has been on South Herritage Street for about 25 years, is operated by the Kinston-Lenoir County Farmers Market Association.

The association draws its membership from the produce growers who sell their products in the market, and sets the regulations and fees for all sellers.

Produce farmer Ronnie Hanchey of Wallace serves as the group's treasurer. He has been selling items at the market for the last 25 years, and was back again Friday, displaying early season greens such as lettuce, salad greens, broccoli, turnips and other vegetables.

"Everything looks pretty good so far, as long as we're getting enough rain," Hanchey said of this year's season.

Local N.C. Cooperative Extension agents advise growers on following applicable state Agriculture and Health Department regulations, and on handling issues affecting their crops, such as pests or foul weather.

Mark Seitz, a commercial horticulture agent, said Friday that weather conditions must be just right to ensure a successful season for local produce growers. Extended periods of rain or dry weather can ruin a crop.

"You need something right in between," he said.

Seitz, who works with growers in Lenoir, Jones, Craven and Onslow counties, said varying spring and summer weather patterns make Eastern North Carolina farmers especially vulnerable.

Produce farmers often experience cool weather in the spring and early summer, high heat mid-summer, and the risk of hurricanes in the fall.

"That July and August breaks our season in half," Seitz explained.

Despite the unpredictable growing seasons, five to six sellers return to the market each year, offering fruits and vegetables all summer.

At least half of the products they sell must be locally grown, said Seitz, so growers get through lean periods with produce shipped from other parts of the state.

"Under the right conditions, we can grow just as good produce as anyone else in the country," he said.

Vickie Hooker of Kinston has been shopping at the farmers market for years, and she brought her 20-year-old daughter Darnesha Hanshey out Friday for her first visit.

"So far it's nice," said Hanshey.

Her mother added:

"I love it out here; it's affordable; we love the fruits and greens."

This year, customers might also see some non-edible products. Larry Jones of Deep Run was selling scented candles Friday. The retired Tom's Potato Chips salesman said his daughter, who lives in Fayetteville, makes the candles and he decided to sell them at Kinston's farmer's market.

"I decided to give it a try," he said.

David Anderson can be reached at (252) 559-1077, or danderson@freedomenc.com.