The Sedalia Area Farmers' Market

Our second farm visit:  Thirty-five lush hillside acres. Twelve children. Two abandoned turkey barns. Meet the Walter and Sarah Brubacker family and their farm, known as "Harmony Hill."  From Mabel (the maker of marvelous moon pies, and the oldest at 17) to Dorcas (the youngest, at 10 months), board members Bruce Bird, Bev Hayes, and I (including my brood of three) enjoyed a tour given by the entire family.

About four years ago, Walter and Sarah brought their (then smaller) family to a beautiful forty-acre farm near Florence. They sold off the house and five acres sitting on the corner, and made their home under the eaves of one of  the huge old abandoned turkey barns with its acres of concrete. A roof under a roof!

Surrounded by green goodness on all sides, the Brubacker's self-built cozy home overlooks the greenhouse, vineyard, orchard, and valley of watermelons on one side; and broccoli (my favorite!), strawberries (they put up about 100 quarts a year), peppers, beans, and more on the other. The other turkey barn houses a happy lot of free range chickens and goats. Not a turkey in sight--but one very friendly duck (he was literally wagging his tail).

Walter, a machinist by trade, is also an inventor of sorts: he fashioned a device to puff wheat, rice, and other grains for cereal; as well as a device to extrude wheat for shredded wheat! Speaking of which, if you've not had the pleasure of their rolls made with fresh ground wheat berries, honey, and coconut oil, you'll want to grab them up next Market day. "They are so choice," in the words of Ferris Bueller.

Our tour concluded with a lovely surprise: homemade strawberry milkshakes (certainly raised the bar for future farm tours)! Enjoy the photo tour . . .

The whole family--all fourteen!

Walter visits with board member Bev Hayes in the hothouse tomatoes.

Just a few of the beautiful and tasty tomatoes.

My husband and kids say it is the best broccoli they've ever tasted.

The "Hill" in "Harmony Hill." Note the Concord grape vines, and raspberry starts in the foreground. Way down in the valley, you can see the row covers for the watermelons we'll be enjoying at the Market this summer.

The cozy house built under the roof of the old turkey barn.

The source of all things delicious!

Lloyd, the eldest son, shares a banjo that he hand crafted (hope to hear him play at the Market one day soon)!

Lettuce fresh as springtime.

Free ranging chickens--cute, but still destined for the Market!

Part of Walter's arsenal of natural pest control--a gorgeous purple martin.

Hand carved ladles, spoons, and honey dippers from hedge, oak, maple, etc.

Looking forward to seeing you at the Market!