Farmer Wannabes

Meet the "Farmer Wannabes" - -
Jim & Sherry have supplied local customers with fresh “Bedford Grown” produce (free of chemical pesticides) at regional farmers markets for over eight years. Jim inherited a love of gardening from both his dad and his uncle (who operated a 5-acre farm) and has been involved in gardening in one form or another (lawn care to vegetable gardens) since he was 12 years

of age. As a Master Gardener (through Virginia Cooperative Extension) and member of the Bedford Area Master Gardener Association (BAMGA), he has logged over 5,800 hours in volunteer work on behalf of VCE and BAMGA community projects. Sherry grew up learning how to can and freeze fresh vegetables and, in addition to supplying food for meals on the home front, she has a constant demand from family and friends for her Pickled Beets, Zesty and Mild Salsa, Stewed Tomatoes, a turn-of-the-century family recipe for Pickle Relish and more. She is known for creating and/or tweaking recipes for canning and meal-time to “make them her own.”
Jim and Sherry work as a team when it comes to “farm” (under two acres!) management. They put their heads together to plan vegetable seed selections, map out a planting schedule, and harvest produce throughout the season. Jim is the guru when it comes to starting seeds under “grow lights,” transplanting to cow pots or peat pots, and hardening off vegetables (getting them used to sunlight and outside weather) before putting them in the garden. He mans the process throughout the growing season to ensure they get the right amount of care and protection. Together, they harvest, clean, inspect and package produce for loyal customers and farmers markets. Sherry manages the product information and marketing arenas, preparing detailed handouts to aid customers in product selections, provide mouth-watering recipes and “how to use” instructions for unique vegetables. Farmer Wannabes was officially started in 2007, and Jim & Sherry are excited about plans for this year’s local farmers markets as well as other plans for expansion. Join the Farmer Wannabes at the Bedford YMCA Farmers Market on Tuesday afternoons (3 PM-6:30 PM) and the downtown Bedford Farmers Market on Friday mornings (7:30 AM-12:30 PM). We appreciate your support and the opportunity to provide you with fresh “Bedford Grown” produce – free of chemical pesticides – to support healthy eating! Look for the following premium vegetable choices as they become available throughout the season:

Lettuce, Spinach, Mustard Greens, Collards, Kale, Pac Choy, Swiss Chard, Beets, Cabbage (head, conical, Chinese, red), Kohlrabi, Carrots, Broccoli, Cucumbers (pickling and more), tomatoes (cherry, slicing, canning), green beans, Bell Peppers, Sweet non-Bells, Hot Peppers (Jalapenos, Anaheim)
AND MORE!