Fresh From the Farm

Vine-ripened heirlooms in shades of red, pink, purple, and gold — each with its own unique flavor profile.

Heirloom tomatoes are the stars of summer at our stand. Unlike grocery store tomatoes that are bred for shipping, heirlooms are grown for flavor — soft, juicy, and bursting with old-fashioned tomato taste. Look for fruit that gives slightly to gentle pressure and feels heavy for its size. Store them at room temperature (never refrigerate — cold kills the flavor). Slice them thick for sandwiches, dice them for salsa, or just enjoy with a sprinkle of salt. Peak season runs July through September.

Fresh-picked Silver Queen and bi-color varieties, sweet and tender straight from the field.

Sweet corn is one of our most popular items, and for good reason — there's nothing like corn picked the same morning and eaten that night. We carry both Silver Queen (white, tender, and sweet) and bi-color varieties. When choosing corn, look for bright green husks that feel damp inside and silks that are golden, not brown. Cook it the day you buy it for maximum sweetness, as the sugars convert to starch quickly after picking. Boil for just 3-5 minutes, grill in the husk, or microwave for 4 minutes per ear. Peak season is mid-July through August.

Crisp, cool cucumbers perfect for snacking, salads, and homemade refrigerator pickles.

Fresh cucumbers from the stand are a world apart from what you'll find wrapped in plastic at the grocery store. They're firm, crisp, and full of water — the ultimate refreshing summer vegetable. Look for dark green skin with no soft spots or yellowing. Smaller cucumbers tend to have fewer seeds and thinner skin. Store them in the crisper drawer and use within a week. They're incredible sliced into water, chopped for salads, or turned into quick refrigerator pickles with vinegar, sugar, dill, and a pinch of salt. Available June through September.

Tender snap beans, perfect for canning, slow-cooking, or a quick weeknight side.

Green beans (also called string beans or snap beans) are a Southern kitchen staple and one of our best-selling summer vegetables. We carry both bush beans and pole beans — pole beans are slightly longer and meatier, making them ideal for slow-cooked Southern-style beans simmered with bacon or ham. When selecting, look for beans that snap cleanly when bent and have a bright, even color with no blemishes. They're excellent roasted with garlic, steamed with butter, or blanched and added to salads. Many of our customers buy them by the bushel for canning and freezing to enjoy all winter. Peak season is July and August.

Sweet, crunchy bell peppers in red, yellow, orange, and green — colorful and versatile.

Bell peppers add crunch, sweetness, and vibrant color to almost any dish. Green peppers are harvested before they ripen, while red, yellow, and orange peppers are left on the plant longer — making them sweeter and higher in vitamins. Look for peppers that feel heavy for their size with smooth, glossy skin. They're incredible raw with dip, sliced into stir-fries, stuffed and baked, or roasted on the grill. Bell peppers are also a favorite for freezing — just chop and freeze in bags for winter cooking. Available July through September.

Fresh summer squash — tender and mild, great grilled, sautéed, or baked into bread.

Zucchini is one of the most versatile vegetables you can bring home from the stand. Smaller zucchini (under 8 inches) tend to be more tender and flavorful, while larger ones are perfect for stuffing and baking or grating into zucchini bread and muffins. Look for firm, unblemished skin and store in the refrigerator for up to a week. Zucchini is delicious grilled in planks with olive oil and salt, spiralized into noodles, sautéed with onions, or baked into the classic Southern zucchini bread. It's also easy to freeze — just shred and bag it for winter baking. Available June through September.

Tree-ripened peaches, sweet and fragrant — the taste of a Kentucky summer.

Nothing says summer in Kentucky like a juicy, ripe peach. We carry several varieties throughout the season, from early clingstones to later freestone peaches that are perfect for canning and freezing. A ripe peach should smell fragrant at the stem end and give slightly when pressed gently. If they're firm when you buy them, leave them on the counter for a day or two to soften — never refrigerate unripe peaches. They're incredible eaten fresh over the sink, sliced into cobblers and pies, or preserved as jam. Freestone varieties arrive in late July and August, which is the ideal time for canning.

Fragrant, sweet cantaloupe — pick one that smells like a melon should taste.

A ripe cantaloupe is one of the sweetest rewards of summer. The best way to choose one is by smell — a ripe melon will have a sweet, fragrant aroma at the stem end. It should feel heavy for its size and yield slightly at the blossom end (opposite the stem). The skin underneath the netting should have a golden or cream tone rather than green. Once ripe, refrigerate and use within a few days. Cantaloupe is perfect on its own, wrapped in prosciutto, blended into smoothies, or cubed into fruit salads. Peak season is July and August.

Big, juicy watermelons — the ultimate summer treat for picnics and family gatherings.

A good watermelon is the centerpiece of any summer gathering. When selecting a whole watermelon, look for one that feels heavy for its size — weight means water content means sweetness. The underside (where it sat on the ground) should have a creamy yellow spot, indicating it ripened in the field. Give it a tap; a ripe melon should sound hollow and deep. Store whole watermelons at room temperature, and refrigerate after cutting. They're perfect sliced for a crowd, cubed into salads with feta and mint, or blended into refreshing agua fresca. Available July through September.

Fresh-picked, plump blueberries — sweet, antioxidant-rich, and perfect for snacking or baking.

Fresh blueberries are one of nature's perfect snacks — sweet, nutritious, and requiring no peeling or prep. Look for berries that are firm, plump, and uniformly blue with a slight silvery bloom (that's natural and means they're fresh). Avoid containers with juice stains or shriveled berries. Blueberries are incredible in muffins, pancakes, and pies, or simply by the handful. They freeze beautifully — spread them on a tray to freeze individually, then bag them for smoothies and baking all year. Store in the refrigerator and don't wash until just before eating to prevent mold. Season runs June through August.

Sweet, seasonal strawberries — fragile, fragrant, and gone fast.

Local strawberries are a seasonal treasure — far more flavorful than the year-round grocery store varieties bred for shipping. Look for berries that are fully red (no white tips), fragrant, and firm but not hard. Strawberries don't ripen further after picking, so choose ones that are already red all the way to the stem. They're delicate, so use them within a day or two of purchase. Refrigerate unwashed and rinse gently just before eating. They're stunning in shortcake, turned into jam, sliced over cereal, or eaten fresh from the basket. Season is short — typically late May through mid-June, so grab them when you see them.

Plump blackberries, tangy-sweet and irresistible — a Kentucky summer classic.

Blackberries are a Kentucky summer staple, growing wild across the hills and fields of Laurel County. Fresh-picked blackberries from the stand are plump, deeply colored, and bursting with sweet-tart flavor. Look for berries that are fully black (not red) with a slight shine — dull berries are overripe. They're fragile, so handle gently and use within a couple of days. Blackberries make incredible cobblers and jams, are delicious in smoothies, and pair beautifully with peaches in pies. They also freeze well for winter baking. Season runs from mid-June through July.

Russet and red potatoes — hearty, versatile, and a kitchen essential year-round.

Potatoes are one of the most versatile vegetables you can keep in your kitchen. We carry both russet potatoes (ideal for baking, mashing, and fries) and red potatoes (waxy and firm, perfect for boiling, roasting, and potato salad). Look for potatoes that are firm with no green spots, sprouts, or soft areas. Store them in a cool, dark, dry place — never in the refrigerator, as cold converts their starches to sugar. Potatoes are a staple for soups, stews, casseroles, and side dishes. New potatoes (harvested early with tender skins) arrive in mid-summer, while storage potatoes are available through fall and winter.

Rich, starchy sweet potatoes — a nutritious staple for roasting, baking, and casseroles.

Sweet potatoes are a nutritional powerhouse and one of the most beloved vegetables on a Southern table. Look for firm, unblemished sweet potatoes with no soft spots or mold. Smaller to medium sweet potatoes tend to be sweeter and more tender than very large ones. Store them in a cool, dark, well-ventilated place (not the refrigerator). They're incredible baked and topped with butter and brown sugar, roasted with olive oil and salt, mashed, or turned into the classic sweet potato casserole. They're also easy to freeze after cooking for future meals. Fresh sweet potatoes arrive in late summer and are available through the winter months.

Yellow, white, and red onions — the foundation of almost every great meal.

Onions are an essential kitchen staple and the starting point for countless recipes. We carry yellow onions (the all-purpose workhorse, best for cooking), white onions (sharper and great for salsas and Mexican dishes), and red onions (mild and crisp, perfect raw in salads and on sandwiches). Look for onions that are firm with dry, papery skin and no soft spots or sprouting. Store them in a cool, dry, dark place with good air circulation. Fresh-pulled onions (with green tops still attached) arrive in late spring and early summer — these are milder and wonderful grilled or sautéed. Storage onions are available through the fall and winter.

Basil, mint, rosemary, and more — fresh-cut bundles that elevate any dish.

Fresh herbs transform a meal from ordinary to memorable. We carry seasonal bundles of basil (perfect for pesto and caprese salads), mint (for tea, lemonade, and fruit salads), rosemary and thyme (for roasting meats and vegetables), cilantro (for salsa and guacamole), and more, depending on what's at its peak. Look for herbs with vibrant color and no wilting or yellowing. To keep them fresh, trim the stems and place them in a glass of water (like cut flowers) or wrap them in a damp paper towel in the refrigerator. Use them within a few days for the best flavor. Available spring through fall.