“To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.” –Audrey Hepburn

Spring is a time of new life and growth. It is fun to watch the newly born fawns and the geese with their goslings in tow. As you drive by the fields you can see miles of rows of corn coming up.

Many of us have planted our gardens in hopes of having fresh produce. Homegrown fruits and vegetables have more flavor, and are so much better for you than those you can buy from a grocery store. No store-bought tomatoes can compare to garden tomatoes. They are more vibrant in color and the flavor is exquisite.

It’s hard to not get carried away while planting your garden. If you’re going to plant five cucumber seeds you may as well plant 10, right? I know that two zucchini plants will feed a small country, yet I still plant at least six of them. That means I need six yellow squash to match.

Am I the only crazy one here?

Perhaps, but in reality, there are always extra vegetables that need a good home. I’ve heard that people lock their car doors during the summer so that they don’t find unwanted produce in their backseat.

All kidding aside, what do you do with the extra harvest? There might be a misconception that you need to have a big, sprawling garden to be a produce vendor at the farmer’s market. That is not necessarily the case. Although there are those who have bigger operations, you can still do well with a small garden, or even your extra harvest. When you have an over abundance, why not sell it at the farmer’s market?

There are some benefits of taking your fruits and vegetables to the market. It’s a great way to make a little extra money (we all could use that). You would also be helping to provide the community with healthy foods.

A small market garden would be a great summer project for teenagers and even younger children as well. Learning to grow food is a skill they can have for the rest of their lives. They can also get a lesson in economics. Another great advantage of being involved with the farmer’s market is that you can be part of a group of like-minded people who truly care about providing a quality product to their customers. There is a special camaraderie among the vendors and it is a great environment.

So, rather than finding open vehicles to get rid of your extras, turn your plentitude into profit.

If that is something you are interested in, or if you have any questions, please call Diane Peterson at 515-570-2443 or Kendal Pliner at 515-570-0058. This year, the market will be held at 11 N. 25th St. The market will run from June 10 through Oct. 14.

Come join us on Wednesdays from 2 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. We hope to see you there.