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News Brief

July 3, 2025 |  By: Gavin McGough

The Pony Express Farmers Market is in full swing

Pony Express Farmers Market

Summer is advancing and markets around the region are filling up with a local bounty. KXCV’s Gavin McGough caught up with Beth Burchett, longtime Manager of the Pony Express Farmer’s Market in St Joseph and we’ve got their conversation.

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 Okay, Beth, it's been a while since we spoke, summer's really cranked up the heat. What's on offer these days?

"Well, now that the season has progressed a little bit, we're getting more vendors bringing their produce, and right now, we have corn, plenty of tomatoes and green beans. Yes, green beans are coming on strong right now.", says Beth. 

All right. And all this heat, you know, folks might be doing cookouts. They might be trying not to heat up their kitchen. What recipes are inspiring right now?

Beth says, "Well, yesterday we had a lot of our customers coming in and buying green beans so that they could have a big pot of green beans and new potatoes. Like I said, the corn, corn on the cob is typical, you know, 4th of July fair and BLT, with the tomatoes, and soon we'll have, like next week, our blueberry seasonal come in and, and they'll be able to buy fresh blueberries."

Okay. And, that corn, what's the best way to prepare it, do you think? Boiled, roasted on the grill, maybe even in microwave.

"Oh, no, definitely boiled, until it heats through. It's always real good with slathered in butter.", informs Beth.

Alright, I haven't had corn yet. Is it a, is it a good year for corn?

Beth answered, "Yes, it corn, it's a bi-colored corn that the vendors have right now, but it does taste to it."

All right. So vendors start early down there at Pony Express. 7:00 AM It goes until about noon. Do shoppers come early?

"Yeah, it does sell out early because we have customers waiting in the line till we can start selling. Cucumbers go out quick. The green beans go out quick and onions. Now it'll be the corn and tomatos too.", says Beth. 

Wow. So you have folks signing up at seven?

Beth replied, "Yes."

Well, very cool. Uh, alright, is there anything else, you'd like to add today, Beth?

"If any of the customers have any questions, they can go on our website at PonyExpressFarmersMarket.com and follow us also on Facebook and I answer all the questions that they send in.", says Beth

That was Beth Burchett, manager of the Pony Express Farmer's Market, which takes place from 7:00 AM to about noon on Saturdays and Wednesdays at the East Hills Mall parking lot in St. Joseph, Missouri. If you can't make it to St. Joe, chances are your community has a market of its own full of local vendors.