Celebrating nature’s artistry from our local farmers

It’s late August. You can finally feel the breeze on your skin as the humidity falls, the sun sets a few minutes earlier, and the farmers markets and stands across the region overflow with multicolor abundance. “This is really the best time of year,” Brenda Slack, owner of Milk House Farm Market said. “Our market is bursting at the seams.”

Slack grows over 50 varieties of tomatoes on the Newtown, Pa., family farm. She said they’ll likely stop picking in early October, but that depends on the weather. Colder weather means tomatoes could be done in September.

At the Rittenhouse Farmers’ Market, there are crates of jewel-like stone fruit from Beechwood Orchards in Biglerville, Pa. This season’s selection included multiple varieties of cherries, plums, nectarines, donut peaches, yellow and white peaches. The last peaches of the season will be picked by late September or early October, according to co-owner Melissa Allen.

Apple harvests have already begun at Beechwood Orchards. Pumpkins will be in the Milk House Farm Market by mid-September. The beauty of this time of year is both summer goodies and the fall bounty, Slack said. “Don’t stop going to your farmers markets, this is when we’re in full swing.”