Adventures with Barb: Rockingham County and Liskey's sweet corn

 It was pouring rain in the Shenandoah Valley today but that didn't stop my friend Barb and me from heading north to Rockingham County for some Liskey's sweet corn straight out of the field. Their popular roadside stand is usually packed with vehicles as consumers from near and far stop to buy some of the freshest, just-out-of-the-field corn around.

 Today's fog and heavy rain made it a quiet adventure today since we were the only ones under the tent picking through a heaping mound of corn as we looked for big, just-right ears. Together we bought five dozen -- some for friends, some for family, some for freezing, some for eating.

By 10:30 some of the ears I had purchased were shucked and boiling on my stove. We had corn for lunch and corn for dinner. Yum.

As we drove back through the rain and fog to Augusta with our prized ears, I told Barb about a growing-up memory when I was a little girl in Chesterfield County. My mom and aunt would buy dozens of ears of corn on the cob, parboil it, and slice it off the cobs into freezer bags for good winter eating. My sister and I would sit eagerly at the table waiting for leftover cobs that had just enough of the good kernels left for nibbling. That was some gooood eating. Barb has done her share of putting up corn in the freezer, too.

Memories and summertime corn. It was all good today.

The Liskeys have been growing and selling corn for 29 years. Mrs. Liskey said they will be there for another 10 days or so and then that will be it for this year. With Labor Day cookouts this weekend, you may want to get some for the grill.

The stand is on Rt. 11 just south of the Rockingham Farmers Market (with the windmills) and is open Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. Corn is priced $5.50/dozen, $3/half dozen, and $0.50 an ear. The fields surround the stand ... it is as fresh as it can be -- picked each morning. Their phone number is 540.434.2196.

Summer and corn-on-the-cob. As Andy Griffith would say, "Hmm, hmm, good!"

Photos by Lynn R. Mitchell
August 28, 2013

Saunders Brothers fresh summer produce in Piney River

Saturday was our second stop in three days at Saunders Brothers produce market on Rt. 56 in Nelson County. The locally grown sweet corn is fantastic -- large plump ears perfect for grilling or boiling. Several varieties of locally grown peaches were in stock and, if you're not sure what variety you'd like, they have plenty for tasting. Talked with Mr. Paul Saunders who said they had cantaloupes that morning but had sold out in thirty minutes. Other local produce included green beans, yellow squash, zucchini, pickling cucumbers, and egg plant.

Perennials and annuals were marked half price with sales also on rose bushes and hydrangeas as well as hanging baskets.

The King of Pops, a business in Richmond that sells premiere popsicles and summer time employer of SWAC Niece, purchases his peaches for the peach pops from Saunders Brothers.There's also jellies, jams, locally-made cheese, meat, ice cream, home baked goodies, and lots of other items.

Check them out on Facebook where they have regular updates as fruits and vegetables come in. On Thursday, July 18, they posted: "We've got a cornucopia of tomatoes, watermelons, corn, cucumbers, zucchini, yellow squash, eggplant, green beans, peaches, donut peaches, nectarines and summer cooking apples. There's something for everyone!"

It's a pretty drive along the mountains from Staunton to Saunders Brothers. Take Rt. 250 east from top of Afton Mountain to Rt. 6 on right. Follow Rt. 6 to intersection with Rt. 151; turn right onto Rt. 151 and follow to Rt. 56 East. Saunders Brothers is a mile or two down the road on the left.  2717 Tye Brook Hwy, Piney River, Virginia 22964 for your GPS.

Photos by Lynn R. Mitchell
July 13, 2013