While the lack of rain is causing problems for area farmers, shoppers at the Market Place couldn’t tell it by the colorful produce seen Wednesday at the PowerPlant Market Place.

But just how have these merchants managed a crop?

“The good Lord has really helped us,” said Carolyn McCollough. “We have not gotten any rain in Wing – just a dribble. We can’t water our corn because we have no irrigation.

“We have a good crop of watermelons, cantaloupes, yellow-meated watermelons and red potatoes,” she said.

Carolina’s Linda Huckabaa said that she’s lucky to have okra, squash and cucumbers.

“I’ve been watering them,” she said. “We have had no rain. We maybe had three or four drops yesterday.”

Huckabaa said this is her first year at the market.

“It’s my granddaughters’ project,” she said.

Slocomb’s Kevin Battles said he’s has plenty of tomatoes, squash, peaches, plums, cantaloupe and eggplant.

“I use drip tape and irrigate with overhead units,” he said. “We haven’t had much more rain over there than the people here have.”

Ron Brooks of Libertyville said he had peaches, tomatoes, string beans, squash and red potatoes.

“I very seldom miss a day here,” he said. “My garden is looking bad, but my girlfriend raises (these crops) up around Georgiana, and hers are doing pretty good. I probably won’t get anything off of mine.”

Foy Norris said he has the “best tomatoes” around, thanks to his “special” fertilizer mixture, which includes triple 10 and ammonia nitrate.

“We have squash, tomatoes and jelly,” he said. “But back home, all we have left is tomatoes and jelly. That’s it.”

Ron Couch of the PowerPlant Market Place said there were 10 vendors on Wednesday and 12 last Saturday.

“A lot sold out on Saturday,” he said. “Some sold out early today.”

Huckabaa sold all of her okra, and Brooks sold out of his spring beans.