Eddie Ramirez hails from a long, rich family history of farming. His parents spent most of their lives working tomatoes and, in 2002, bought a farm in Rutledge. Eddie and his wife Lizbeth have strong ties to Union County. They were married at St. Teresa of Calcutta in 2019 and celebrated their union with a reception at Red Gate Farm. They now have 3 active children who all love being on a farm. Although Ramirez Tomatoes does grow other vegetables, about 98% of their crop is tomatoes. They are fairly new to the general public; the majority of their business has been wholesale. Their wholesale customers are as far away as Louisville KY. But they are now attending the Farmers Market, as well as selling tomatoes right at their farm in Rutledge. You can contact them at RamirezTomatoes24@gmail.com for orders or just come to the next Farmers’ Market! Both Eddie and Lizbeth love what they do, are dedicated to farming, and it gives them great joy to greet their returning customers.

Elizabeth Tindell of Tindell Farms returned as Market Chef to this Market. Elizabeth said that an “excellent use for gorgeous summer tomatoes is to hollow them out, dice the insides out, add them to some beaten eggs, fresh herbs, and cook them together in a skillet”. Voila! Tomato omelets! She decided to incorporate ingredients from several market vendors. She mooched yellow tomatoes from Little Valley Nursery, red tomatoes from Ramirez Tomatoes, and peppers from Thompson Farms in New Tazewell. Free samples were available for all.

Honey is made from the nectar bees gather from flowering plants, trees, and shrubs. The specific flower(s) dictate the honey's color, flavor, and aroma. Most commercial honey comes from clover. Not many people in East TN have tasted honey made from palm tree nectar. Elaine and Rudy Dean were in Jacksonville FL, for work and sold honey from their hives. Once Rudy retired, they headed for Corryton. Their hives are new and not producing yet, but Nana’s Farms has delicious, light honey from their Florida days for you to try. And the nectar for this honey came from palm trees. They have a traveling Observation Hive that they enjoy taking to groups of children to demonstrate bees and honey-making. The hives have glass window, so the kids can see what the bees are doing as Elaine and Rudy explain the process. A bee puzzle is available for kids. You can contact Nana’s Farms at 803-960-8373.

In slang, "monkey wrench" is primarily used as a verb meaning to sabotage, disrupt, or mess up someone's plans. It comes from the phrase "throwing a monkey wrench into the works”. Monkey Wrench Ministries is a faith-based music and outreach group that frequently performs at local recovery events, church gatherings, and community markets across Tennessee and nearby regions. Harley Martin is a proficient musician, playing trumpet, drums, and guitar, and sings duets with his wife, Kysha Martin. Both are reborn Christians and have been sober for many years. Monkey Wrench was the musical guest for this market. Kysha mentioned that she was driving down the road when Zach Williams Chain Breaker came on the radio. And that’s when she knew she had to dedicate her life to God.

(“We've all searched for the light of day in the dead of night
We've all found ourselves worn out from the same old fight
We've all run to things we know just ain't right
When there's a better life, there's a better life” )
Songwriters: Mia Fieldes / Zach Williams / Jonathan Lindley Smith Chain Breaker lyrics © So Essential Tunes, Be Essential Songs)
Monkey Wrench plays at the Church Called Love on John Deere Dr every Sunday at 2:00 pm.

Every 3rd Saturday of the month, the Farmer’s Market hosts Nourish Kids Union County. It is a free educational program for children ages 2–12 where kids can sample fresh produce, participate in fun activities, and earn $5 in Produce Bucks to spend on fruits and vegetables. And when Nourish Kids is at the Market, you can expect to find Jessica Raley with her FREE BOOKS. All of the books are donated to Jessica, and she displays what she has on a table. There are books for kiddos as well as for adults, and several of the most popular authors were represented. Are you interested in a book and wonder if she has it? Well, stop by the Winery at Seven Springs where she works and ask her! If she doesn’t have the book you want right now, she will certainly look for it for you! You missed her this month, but be sure to be at the Market on Saturday, July 18, for Nourish Kids and Jessica Raley’s FREE BOOKS!