It’s First Monday weekend, and you know what that means!  It means Gopher Knoll will be at the great Athens, TX Farmer’s Market!!

With some really fun veggies on tap this month!

Like Patriotic Potatoes!  Really – Red, White and Blue – through and through!

Potatoes – all of them – originated in the Andean mountain regions of Peru and Bolivia.   They have been cultivated over the past 7,000 or so years, first in South America and then across the world, arriving in North America about 400 years ago.  We’ve pretty much loved them ever since.    And the best way to enjoy them is fresh from a (naturally grown, chemical free) garden!

Remember that the colorful veggies have the highest antioxidant capacity – in other words, the capacity to help our bodies defend and recover from the damages caused by sunshine, age or various toxins we encounter in our world.

Colorful potatoes are no different.   These purple ones, Purple Majesty, are reputed to have the highest antioxidant levels of all.   In our own official taste-testing, the Purple Majesty won the home-fry challenge against our usual front-runner, Yukon Gold.     And don’t leave out the beautiful (and tasty) Mountain Rose!  Add some color, flavor and an extra dose of ‘healthy’ to your next potato dish.

Then there are the fingerling potatoes.  Pretty colors, freshly dug for that “new potato” tenderness and flavor.  No need to peel or chop.  Just wash them and throw them in the pot (or the roasting pan, or on the grill).  The small size is just right for – well, almost everything!

Season them properly with Red Onions, Texas Sweet onions and White Bermudas.  Garlic:  Red Toch and Red Inchelium softneck garlic, green garlic and even a few garlic scapes!

Kohlrabi and Kale (Dutch Blue and Dinosaur).

Patty Pan, Lemon and Tatume summer squashes.

Calima french beans.

Swiss Chard.

Chioggia Beets.

Multi-color carrots.

Parsnips.

Radicchio.

Summer veggies are just kicking into production, which means there isn’t a lot to be had yet, so come early for a good selection.  We’ll sell out of some of those pretty quickly.

Because the Old Fiddler’s Reunion (and carnival) are happening, too, the market has moved for this week only.  We’ll be in front of the Henderson Country Justice Center – kitty corner from the square on the SW.  As usual, you’ll find us beside Henrietta (the beautiful Ford Model A Huckster).