82-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, August 30,1986
Lehman's Farm Market Provides Local Customers With Fresh Produce
BY SALLY BAIR
Lancaster Co. Correspondent
PALMYRA - The cars come
steadily all morning, turning in the
gravel driveway and bringing the
customers who frequent Lehman’s
Farm Market. In its 34th summer,
this market operated by Earl and
Edith Lehman is a popular spot for
a wide local clientele who have
come to rely upon their fresh
produce.
Edith explains that the market
started because of their conviction
that it would be a good experience
for their children. She says, “We
had seven children and they all
grew up in the market. We thought
it would be a good way for them to
earn money.”
The market started modestly on
a card table in the front yard of
their home along North Railroad
Street outside of Palmyra.
Eventually, they sold the chickens
and moved the market to the
chicken house.
Then they sold certified raw milk
for 15 years and when they gave up
dairying, they moved into the
building where they sold the milk.
There are two rooms and a storage
room, and in August the building is
filled with fresh produce, most of it
raised on the 25 acres they devote
to vegetables. They also raise
about 70 steers.
By far their most popular item is
sweet corn. Earl raises 15 acres of
sweet corn and Edith says, “He
picks it all by hand.” They feature
silver queen, golden queen and bi
queen as well as several other
varieties. But it is silver queen that
is the most popular, according to
Edith.
Earl says they average about
1,000 dozen ears of corn a week,
which means a lot of
Amy, 12, waits on a customer after helping her choose what
wanted.
Amy Lehman, 12, left, and Marcy Lehman, 16, each lift a basket of corn to take in to
eager customers. Marcy, came from Wyalusing to help, while Amy lives locally They
enjoy lending a hand to their grandmother.
He also notes, “This is one of the
finest com crops we’ve had. There
are Very few worms. I use very few
insecticides.” Although they began
the summer with a dry period,
Edith says the rains in July and
August have all the produce
looking good. “Things are growing
pretty nice,” she says, “but it is
muddy in the fields.”
August is the busiest month,
when there is always a wide
variety of produce, including
cantalopes, string and lima beans,
tomatoes, eggplants, peppers,
cucumbers, squash and others.
Fruit is also available at the
market, but Edith says they do not
raise their own. It is purchased
both from local producers and
Adams County growers.
For about 10 years the Lehman’s
have had a thriving pick-your-own
business, including strawberries,
sugar peas, hull peas and beans. “I
think people like it,” Edith says.
One aspect of the market which
customers like and Edith thinks is
important is picking the produce
as fresh as possible. She said they
like picking it early in the day, so
the market doesn’t open until 10
a.m.
The Lehman’s believe in giving
personal service, and every
customer is given attention. Edith
says she doesn’t like going into
stores and being ignored by sales
people, and so she wants her
customers to know they are im
portant. “It’s important to ask to
help and to say hello! ”
She adds, “We have nice
customers. Mostly they are
repeat.’’ Her husband agrees, “We
have a good relationship with
customers.”
Both admit that their customers
' thr - ;h the 34 years
Waiting on customers quickly and efficiently is important to Edith, who likes to give
everyone individual attention
of business. Edith says the in
creased number of working
mothers affects their business, and
Earl says the number of families
eating in restaurants also affects
markets such as theirs. “It is an
altogether different customer than
30 years ago.”
Edith remarks, “People were
canning and freezing more than
they do today. It is a new
generation.”
However, for the young people
going back to canning and
freezing, Edith is ready with ad
vice, recipes and other printed
information. “I try to have recipes
for things we have.”
When her daughters were home
they helped with both the cooking
and the canning. Now Edith says
she tries to make time in the
evenings to do some preserving.
However, she pointed out that with
her youngest child 21, she doesn’t
need to can in the large quantities
she did when the children were
growing up
A common problem with market
owners is charging enough money
to make a good profit. Earl, vice
president of the Lebanon County
Farmers Association, admits that
the profit margin is simply not
there. “You can’t turn a profit."
Edith notes, “Our expenses are
higher but the prices are not that
much higher.” She said people
work hard for their money and
don’t make that much, so they
spend it carefully. Nevertheless,
she has strong feelings about the
benefits which American con-
£ F
W / I I SWEi
I '■ ' Vpot
111
I. (PEA
st*. * / « , ,
h x-, \&* •-
The Lehman Farm Market is now operating in its 34th
summer, after humble beginnings as a card table in the yard.
It's now open for business from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., six days a
week.
sumers have in the food market
place. “American people are
lucky. They spend just 17 percent
of their money on food. In most
countries it is much higher.”
Although the market is open
daily for only about four months,
the work of operating a market
stretches over a much longer time.
The first planting begins in early
April with potatoes, followed by
sugar peas and hull peas. How
much planning goes into the
system? Edith says, “After doing
it for so many years, my husband
knows what he needs.” Most of the
crops remain the same over the
years, although Edith notes,
“People are eating more squash
now.”
Vtomesiead
id/Sies
.y.\ t*.
*■»»
CANT
Edith helps with most of the field
work until the market opens in the
spring, but then spends her days
there, beginning at 8:30 a.m. Her
mornings are spent filling the
shelves, sorting the fresh produce,
and sweeping the floors. By the
time customers begin arriving,
often as early as 9:45, Edith is
ready to greet them. If there are
eager customers, she may open
early.
Once inside the store, the
customer is treated not only to a
beautiful and bountiful array of
vegetables, but also to a wide
variety of Edith’s favorite
philosophical tidbits, neatly let
tered on signs on the walls. Some
(Turn to Page B 4)