Highway 82 stretches across the state of Texas for hundreds of miles. Farms filled with white bolls of cotton line the roads as the route reaches the West Texas soil. Heading east toward Idalou, a red tin roof sits above the flat lands of the South Plains. This is Idalou Harvest, a seven-day-a-week farmers market.
Rows of green trees contrast the brown soil while the sweet smell of fruit infiltrates the air. Lucinda “Juicy Lucy” Mann has been a grower at the market for two years, after the owners wanted to buy her greenhouses.
“I was at my wits end,” Mann said. “I had my two greenhouses in Crosbyton and I’m getting older, and it was more work than I could do by myself.”
Mann had been selling tomatoes to the harvest for a while when Connie Williams, co-owner of the harvest, offered to take the greenhouses off her hands. Though Mann thought the offer was a joke, shortly she realized Williams's sincerity and stated her price. The deal was made and the greenhouses were moved onto Idalou Harvest property.
“It was a done deal, so I figured I was out of the business,” Mann said. “So then they said, we bought your greenhouses, and you come along with the package.”
Mann said she has to love what she does when it is such hard work. She got her start in agriculture at a young age. Every year, her parents planted a garden that supplied a cafe nearby with fresh produce throughout the summer. During the winter, the family feasted on goods canned by her mother the summer before. Now, she takes her knowledge and puts it to use at the harvest.
Idalou Harvest, though known for their succulent apples, is much more than just an apple orchard. Apricots, vegetables and grapes used for wine production can all be found on the farm, along with much more. The indoor market boasts a wide variety of products, including fresh vegetables and apple cakes.
Production starts in February and March with planting vegetables and lasts until the last apples are harvested around Halloween. After production, the market still stocks products from local vendors and from the farm itself.
Grapes grown throughout the year are harvested and made into wine on the farm. After being picked, the grapes are set aside until they are ready to be smashed into a juice. From there, the juice is fermented into fragrant wines made from the sweet grapes of West Texas. The wine is bottled and adorned with art crafted by Barbara Torke, an artist from Cedaredge, Colorado. Dogs and trucks detailed in whimsical color fill the labels with a taste of Texas.
The sugary grapes are netted to discourage birds from stealing the crop. But this is not the only challenge the harvest faces. West Texas is an agricultural hub, filling plots of land with the most common crop: cotton.
Defoliants sprayed on the cotton can pose a threat to the fruit and vegetables being grown on the farm. Mann said there is a collaboration between the farmers to help set precautions in place. The cotton farmers in the area are diligent in notifying the harvest of when they plan to spray their crops, guaranteeing the growers at Idalou Harvest have time to protect their product.
“One farmer can't do it all,” Mann said. “We all have to stick together and help each other to make this whole system work.”
Mann said supporting these local farmers and agriculture is important because without these farmers, there is no food to support the population. She said she does not think many people make a meaningful connection to the farmers who are growing the food they eat.
“A lot of the kids nowadays think milk comes from a carton out of the store. They don't realize it comes from a cow and the process it takes to get from the cow, to the milk, to the store,” Mann said. “With us, it's: we pick, we pack, we sell the same day.”
She said when buying from a grocery store, the product could be sitting in a warehouse for days before it is sent to be stocked in stores. Idalou Harvest hosts a farmers market each Saturday until the end of October, with vendors selling fresh homegrown vegetables. Not only do the vendors offer produce – fresh baked bread, seasoning salts, sandwiches and tamales can all be found at the market.
Mann said buying local and visiting the harvest gives consumers a chance to see where their food comes from, something that would not be possible without community support.
“Help support your local farmers,” Mann said. “Know your farmer, talk with your farmer and know how your food is grown.”
Idalou Harvest will host Apple Fest this Labor day weekend from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event will be filled with all things apple: cakes, jellies and butter will all be sourced from local vendors. For more information, contact Idalou Harvest at 806-620-7230.
