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| The first local strawberries went for $1.50 a pint as no one was expecting them. |
The Casey County Auction, now in its third full year, is up and running and having auctions three times a week: Mondays and Wednesdays at 2pm and Fridays at 5pm from now until mid-October. The auctioneers have increased their April auctions already, from one to three a week, because of the unexpected boon of some local spring produce offerings (early) as well as the amount of flowers, plants and hanging baskets–and some vegetable flats–that have been coming in from area greenhouses.
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Floribunda! The auction often takes on the appearance of a Dutch flower market.
There are hanging flowers, ferns, roses, various perennials, and flats. At this time of year
there are more plants and flowers than local produce–until about mid-May when produce is in. |
On a typical day you might pay less than you thought or more than you want but most items go for wholesale prices (beautiful and abundant hanging baskets the other day, for example, were going for about $5-6 each). It is no wonder that plant buyers come from all over Kentucky–some as far as Lexington–to purchase quality plants for their greenhouses, shops or home use.
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Local spring onions are abundant now at area farmstands and at auction.
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Local produce is starting to come in: strawberries were a "wow" factor, even though they only sold for $1.50 a pint at the start of the season and local onions, and even some local eggs have been making an appearance. By mid-May and through the rest of the season, local produce offerings will gradually replace plant and flower options.
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| Milton Brubacker auctions off some roses from area greenhouses. |
The thrill of the auction is that you never know what will be there and you never know what you might have to pay for something you want. We've found deal after deal in the past few years (well, except for those Stanley plums that I dearly wanted for canning), but we've also walked away when bidding got too high for a particular item.
Also, anyone can sell their local goods––plants, flowers, starts, produce, eggs––via auction, no matter the size of the offering at auction. This is great for the large or small gardener who may want to get rid of their bumper crop and make a bit of extra money. Call 606-787-5158 for procedures.
Casey County Produce Auction is located at 524 South Fork Creek Road, approximately three miles from Hwy 127 and about ten minutes south of Liberty. To call the office: 606-787-5158; for Market/price info from previous sales: 606-787-0570. For a complete 2012 schedule,
click here.
See you at the auction!
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A flat of nicotiana, a lovely fragrant annual related to tobacco plants.
You'll never know what you'll find! |
