FARMERS' MARKETS BRING BOUNTIES TO CITY DWELLERS

Missouri, Illinois and Kentucky aren't counted among the top vegetable-growing states, but you wouldn't know it by visiting farmers' markets and roadside stands in the three states.

Missouri truck farmers till more than 35,000 acres a year in vegetables. More than half of that acreage is in Southeast Missouri. Illinois is among the top 10 states in pumpkin production.

Farmers' markets are commonplace in Cape Girardeau, Carbondale, Ill., Anna, Ill., and Paducah, Ky., from May through October.

The Cape Girardeau Area Farmers' Market, in its 10th year of operation, opened two weeks ago at Plaza Galleria parking lot.

It is too early for cantaloupes, green beans and sweet corn, but vegetable shoppers at the market this week may find strawberries, lettuce, radishes, rhubarb, green onions, greenhouse-grown tomatoes and plenty of flower and vegetable plants.

During the summer more than 50 "official" farmers' markets are held in Missouri. Unofficially, there are many more when you count all the roadside stands and truck tailgates in Missouri towns where surplus produce from family gardens is sold.

The Cape Girardeau market is held each Thursday from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. A second farmers' market is held each summer at the Downtown Pavilion.

Evelyn Boardman, who was instrumental in starting the downtown market, said vendors can use the facility each Friday and Saturday. "There is no charge for it," said Boardman. "We just ask the vendors to clean up afterwards."

"Everything is a little late this year due to cool weather and rain," said Don Menees of Anna, Ill., a member of the group at Galleria parking lot last week. "We had radishes and lettuce at last week's market, and hope to have more this week."

The report is the same throughout the state. Peggy Monk of Cameron, president of the Missouri Vegetable Growers Association, said things were "really slow" in northwest Missouri. Gary Jensen of Springfield, association treasurer, plants about 100 acres of vegetables each year. He said planting of everything was late.

John Knaup of Knaup Greenhouses along E. Jackson Blvd. and a member of Cape Girardeau Area Farmers' Market, was at last week's market with flower and vegetable plants.

The market is designed for vendors who have produced fruits, vegetables and flowers. Producers who sell jelly, jams and baked goods must have produced the principal ingredient in the product.

The vegetable industry has become a big one for a number of landowners over the past five years, with as many as 19,000 acres in Southeast Missouri, about 60 percent of the total statewide vegetable acreage.

Not all the vegetables are found at farmers' markets; many of the potatoes raised in Southeast Missouri -- 6,000 to 7,000 acres -- are sold to potato chip companies.

But the markets are in full swing. A complete list of farmers' markets, roadside stands or pick-your-own operations will be available soon. Copies will be available early next month from Missouri Department of Agriculture, Market Development Division, horticulture marketing specialist, P.O. Box 630, Jefferson City, Mo. 65102.

Vegetable and melon acreages are up nationally this year.

U.S. growers are expected to harvest 218,000 acres of 13 selected fresh-market vegetables this spring, up 2 percent from a year ago. Head lettuce is the biggest spring crop, at 41,900 acres, down slightly from last year.

Sweet corn is second at 37,200 acres, and tomatoes are third, planted on 30,700 acres, according to the Department of Agriculture.

The biggest acreage increases from last year are in snap beans, sweet corn and cabbage. The smallest of the 13 selected crops is eggplant, at 500 acres. Other vegetables counted in the survey are broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cucumbers, escarole-endive and bell peppers.

Cantaloupe, honeydews and watermelons will be grown on another 125,200 acres, down 1 percent from 1995. Spring onions are planted on 37,500 acres, up 5 percent, and summer non-storage onions on 11,600 acres, down 15 percent from a year ago.