SCRANTON, Pa. — The finishing touches are underway on Barring Avenue to make sure the Scranton Co-Op Farmer's Market is manicured for opening day.
"We're here for cleanup. We put on the awning, swept up, getting the grass cut, just getting ready for next Monday when we open," said James Shirg.
James Shirg of Jim's Farm Produce started working at the market at just 10 years old. He's spent every summer here since, more than 60 of them.
"When I first started, we'd come on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays to get rid of our excess stuff. Now we can't pick enough to supply the market," said Shirg.
That's almost as long as the farmers market's 85 years of operation. It's completely farmer-run and owned. The farmers say every year brings its own set of challenges.
"Labor's getting to be a big problem. We can't find anyone much to help us on the farm anymore. It's really family-owned and family-operated, and it's hard to hire anybody. The weather is a big factor. It's been warm in the spring, which pushed stuff ahead, but it's also getting pretty dry right now," said Shirg.
It's farmers like Shirg who keep the market up and running and who keep people coming back year after year.
"We become good friends with our customers, some every night that we're open," he added.
The Scranton Co-Op Farmers Market on Barring Avenue in Scranton opens on Monday, July 15. It kicks off the season and runs every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday through the end of November.