MARKETS OFFER FRESHNESS WITHOUT GARDENING HASSLES

Farmers markets are not just for small farmers and hobbyists. More than 18 growers set up stands weekly at the Cape Girardeau Farmers Market in Plaza Galleria parking lot

And many operators of medium and large farms have turned to the "no-middleman" marketing activity because it's a low-capital activity.

One area farmer likes the farmers markets because they offer immediate cash flow.

"The biggest expense is time, but it's worth it," he said.

Fruits and vegetables, straight from local farms, gardens and orchards are luring people to outdoor markets throughout the United States, including more than 60 marketplaces in Missouri.

Tables full of leafy lettuce, onions, asparagus, radishes and other vegetables await shoppers at the local outdoor market. And, through the summer, other products -- blackberries, apples, green beans, cucumbers, okra, peppers, potatoes and more, will be added to list.

Many of the official markets set up in parks, on church grounds, in parking lots, at shopping malls and along roadsides, with varying hours of operations.

Direct marketing through farmers markets, roadside stands, and even pick-your-own operations, is popular with consumers and pays off for the producers, said Tammy Bruckerhoff, a horticulture marketing specialist with the Missouri Department of Agriculture.

Consumers enjoy buying directly from producers. They get to select their own fresh produce, and the prices are competitive, said Bruckerhoff.

"Farmers markets link rural and urban people in a positive exchange," she added, "and shoppers from neighboring cities provide additional income to the communities that support these direct market enterprises."

Farmers markets range from small to large.

Eighteen growers are members of the Cape Girardeau Farmers Market, held Thursdays at the Plaza Galleria parking lot, 2001 Independence St., from 3 to 7 p.m. The market is open from May to October.

"The market here is designed for vendors who produce fruits, vegetables, plants and flowers," said Marilyn Peters, marketing manager.

Producers who sell jelly, jams and baked goods at the Cape Girardeau market have produced the principal ingredient included in the product.

As many as 300 vendors sell their products at Missouri's largest open-air market, the City Market of Kansas City.

"Open-air markets like this are natural for producers," said Lou Steele, director of the City Market.

The City Market is open daily, year-round and attracts more than 1.5 million shoppers a year. On some Saturdays, said Steele, more than 30,000 visitors pass through the market.

Customers visit the City Market because it's an experience they can't get at a grocery store or mall, said Steele.

Another large metropolitan market is the year-round Soulard's Farmers Market in St. Louis. That open-air market is on Seventh Street in the historic Soulard neighborhood, a mile south of downtown St. Louis.

A new market has been established in the Southern Illinois area by two brothers from Cape Girardeau County.

Joe Lowes and James Lowes own the market, which will be open year-round at Illinois routes 3 and 146 at Ware. The market features fruits, vegetables and hanging baskets.

Pick an area in any state, and you'll find a farmers market. In Southeast Missouri, consumers can find the markets at varying times at Cape Girardeau, Sikeston, Poplar Bluff and Kennett. Community markets can also be found at Anna and Carbondale in Illinois and at Paducah, Ky.

Vegetable growing is big business throughout Southeast Missouri, but some growers sell direct to processing companies. The University of Missouri Extension Service reports that about 19,000 acres of vegetables can be found in Southeast Missouri, accounting for about 60 percent of the vegetable production acreage in the state.

Potatoes are one of the potential big moneymakers, with as many as 6,000 to 7,000 acres of potatoes in the Southeast Missouri. The majority of the potatoes are sold to potato chip companies.

There are also many acres of tomatoes, sweet corn, watermelons, cantaloupes, zucchini, southern peas, pumpkins and squash.

The vegetable industry has become big business for a number of landowners in the past five years.

The majority of farmers doing direct marketing view it as a supplement to traditional marketing outlets or a nonfarm job in town. If all goes right, a grower can realize a $3,000 to $5,000 profit on an acre.

"Through farmers markets, quality products have become more readily available to consumers," said John L. Saunders, Missouri agriculture director, "and every dollar spent at a local farmers market stays in the area to benefit the state's economy."

At least a dozen new markets officially opened this spring, including markets at Kennett and West Plains.

For information, a 1998 Farmer's Market Directory is available. Copies of the directory are available by calling the Market Development Division, (573) 751-3394, or by writing Missouri Department of Agriculture, P.O. Box 630, Jefferson City, Mo., 65102.