Farmers market vendor: 'We haven't given up'

 LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) -- Outdoor farmers markets may be shaping up to be another casualty of the drought, but local producers are trying to hold on.
   There is still product to sell, farmers said, despite dwindling produce yields, less variety and thinner crowds.
   "We haven't given up," said local vendor Neil Moseley of Pleasant Acre Farms, even though he said sales are off between 30 percent and 40 percent. "But I'm afraid that number is going to just keep going up."
   Vendor Nate Parks of Tranquil Ridge Farm said the produce yield he normally brings to markets is down 50 percent.
   "It's pretty severe," Parks said. "A lot of the stuff that's really hard right now is beets, carrots and lettuces because they're hard to water, but all across the board it's tough."
   Lafayette market manager Kim Murray said about five vendors at her market have pulled out altogether.
   But the market will continue, and Murray said guests should make a point to come early.
   "Each vendor is experiencing something a little bit different," Murray said. "If you have your mind set on something, it's best to come down first thing in the morning to get the product you want."
   Vendor Dean Fallis of Bloomer's Greenhouse said he frequently hears people asking each other where certain vegetables are.
   "I always hear, `where are all the green beans?' " Fallis said. "There are no green beans. All of their blossoms have burned off. They just dropped off."
   Fallis fears this will be a recurring market theme.
   "You'll run into that later in the season with tomatoes," Fallis said. "And after a while, you'll be out of tomatoes. The longer it goes on, the worse it gets."
   Despite decreased variety, Moseley said farmers are still trying to put out quality product.
   "I lose lots of hours of sleep to make sure we get customers taken care of," Moseley said. "We built ourselves on premium product and we want to maintain that, even in a struggling year."
   Moseley said it's a struggle when not all products survive, or when those that do are damaged.
   Peppers and tomatoes are susceptible to calcium deficiency, he said, which is common during a drought.
   Once that happens?
   "That product becomes junk," Moseley said.
   In order to keep quality up, farmers said they are constantly irrigating.
   "I'm running my pump 24/7," Fallis said. "But when it's 100 degrees, it's hard to keep enough water on everything. I get up at 3 or 4 a.m. to rotate everything. If we ran out of water, we'd be dead in no time."
   Farmers concentrate on making sure they keep market favorites adequately watered.
   "We'll abandon some crops to make sure that others stay watered," Moseley said. "Tomatoes are one of the things people crave. Not everyone is craving okra. You pick the crop there is high demand for."
   Attendance at the markets has been significantly lower than usual, said Parks.
   "The biggest problem is that the crowds are down, which is a double whammy in a year like this," Parks said. "It's compounding the issue."
   Temperatures in the 90s and people thinking that farmers may not have much to offer are contributing factors to the smaller crowds.
   "I don't blame people," Moseley said. "The hot weather dries attendance."
   Parks will continue to sell produce at the market.
   "The reality is that we still have product to sell, and we need the support of everyone to be able to keep going," Parks said. "This is how I make my living. I have no choice."
   For now, the vendors are keeping their fingers crossed for better luck with their fall crops, such as spinach, squash, fall lettuces, cauliflower and cabbage.
   "You just have to keep trying," Parks said. "It's hard to tell what the fall will bring."
   For Moseley, dealing with the drought means trying to find other ways to keep people interested. Today, he will do a cooking demonstration at the Lafayette market.
   "We're trying some new things," Moseley said. "We're not taking this in stride."
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   Information from: Journal and Courier, http://www.jconline.com