Fresh fruits, vegetables and flowers are available to the public again this summer at the Noble Produce Market, 2110 Sam Noble Parkway. As an outlet for produce grown on Noble land, the market's offerings include classic summer treats such as tomatoes, black eyed peas, watermelon, sweet corn, a spicy selection of peppers and fresh-cut flowers.

A new addition to this year's market is an informative Web site at www.noble.org/produce/index.html. This tool brings the local produce market into the information age with a "General Availability" page showcasing what items should be available month by month. On a week-to-week basis, check out what's for sale on the "Available This Week" page. The Web site also includes the market's hours of operation and has maps to the market on Noble's west campus.

While the market is a great way to share the bounty of Noble's gardens with the community, it has a larger underlying goal – to collect information that will be useful in helping Noble specialists and the public determine the value of fresh, locally grown, high-quality produce.

In the past, Noble's horticulture specialists have focused their efforts on determining useful production information, including variety testing and alternative production techniques. This information has been beneficial to many regional agricultural producers who are engaged in vegetable production.

However, production is only part of the equation. There is a shortage of reliable information concerning the marketing side of the produce business in the context of small, regional outlets.

"There are different ways to collect marketing information – including reviewing published data, conducting surveys and interviewing regional produce growers or outlets," said Jon Biermacher, a research economist in Noble's Agricultural Division and coordinator of the market. "But, Noble believes the best way to understand the costs, needs and experience of marketing local produce is to actually market our own fruits, vegetables and flowers."

At least a portion of residents in metropolitan areas such as Dallas and Oklahoma City have proven they will pay a premium for freshness and quality in produce and flowers. Does this same market extend to the Ardmore area? Is it possible to grow such produce and market it outside Ardmore? These are the questions any person should ask before committing land, human and financial resources to initiating or expanding a produce enterprise. The Noble Produce Market will serve as a tool to help gather this important information.

As with any other fresh produce market, the Noble Produce Market can't serve all the produce needs of the consuming public – this also is part of the evaluation. Similar to the limited resources of a typical grower, the market has only a limited amount of acreage to work with. Decisions regarding what and how much should be grown will be determined by the consumers on a year-to-year basis.

"At the end of the season, we will post additional information about the market, its products and its economical feasibility," Biermacher said.

Meanwhile, drop by the market for a pound or two of your favorite summer vegetable or a spray of flowers – you'll enjoy the products and you'll help Noble conduct valuable research to assist current and future producers understand local markets.

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The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, Inc. (www.noble.org), headquartered in Ardmore, Okla., is a nonprofit organization conducting agricultural, forage improvement and plant biology research; assisting farmers and ranchers through educational and consultative agricultural programs; and providing grants to nonprofit charitable, educational and health organizations.