Taylor Daily Press: First of season

First of season

Farmers all around Taylor are gearing up for the opening of the Taylor Farmers' Market on Monday, including Franklin Zieschang, for whom the draw of the farmers' market is a yearly event.

Zieschang, who lives near Noack, grows onions, potatoes, cantaloupe, tomatoes, peppers, squash, cucumbers, okra, carrots and egg plant. He attends markets nearly every day of the week during the peak of the season, commuting to Taylor, Georgetown, Elgin and Austin with his produce.

Zieschang said he has been attending various farmers' markets since 1984 and that this is part of a dream for him. But he isn't running a big operation; his garden is about 4 1/2 acres he rents from his aunt, who lives next door.

"I just always wanted to farm," he said. "It doesn't take a lot of money to get into this. It's just a lot of labor. You don't have a lot of the big equipment."

The weather this year has cooperated, Zieschang said, helping him turn out what he hopes will be about 5,000 to 6,000 pounds of onions and 4,000 to 5,000 pounds of potatoes.

"The weather has been real good this year. There haven't been any storms," he said. "We got rain, but not too much and with breaks in between."

Although there is a lot of work involved, Zieschang finds it enjoyable.

"It's fun about 80 percent of the time," he said. "The rest of the time it's just work."

Zieschang hopes to make his usual 120 days to market this year and maybe a few more if he can squeeze them in.

The Taylor Farmers' Market will be on the north side of Heritage Square on Fifth Street every Monday and Wednesday from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. from now through November. WIC coupons will be accepted by the growers.

For more information on the market, call 856-2722. Backyard farmers and other growers are welcome, but once they sign up to sell there is a seven-day waiting period - an insurance company requirement - before they can join the twice-weekly market.