It’s June and you’re looking for Fresno State sweet corn to add to that warm-weather feast. But hold that thought for a couple of weeks as the corn season at California State University, Fresno has been pushed back until mid-June due to the cooler spring and much-needed rain.

Don’t let that stop you from the student-produced food and wine delights available at the Gibson Farm Market at Chestnut and Barstow avenues.

“We have cherries, peaches, plums, nectarines and apricots, green beans, summer squash and cucumbers arriving daily,” said Jennifer Sobieralski, manager of enterprise marketing and the farm market for the University Agricultural Laboratory. “We also have pesticide-free broccoli, baby greens and strawberries from our transition-organic fields.”

And to make shopping more convenient, the Farm Market now is open extended hours for summer: 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday.

Several events are keeping the store humming nonstop: weekly wine tastings, ice cream tastings every second Tuesday of the month and the Summer Farm Festival on July 10.

Corn, the Gibson Farm Market’s biggest attraction from late spring through the summer, is growing well. It appears that Father’s Day (June 20) is the best bet for the first weekend of Fresno State sweet corn enjoyment this year. The first sweet corn arrived June 1 in 2009.

Other Farm Market attractions:

  • The Fresno State Bulldog Chop Shop meat counter will be open on Fridays and Saturdays starting this week to supply campus-produced meat, sausage and bacon for the grilling season.
  • Fresno State Winery tastings are noon-4 p.m.Saturday and include cooking seasonal veggies and grilled peaches using Fresno State Arbosana olive oil and pomegranate jelly. Tastings cost $3 for three wines or $5 for six. Wines tasted can be purchased at a sale price.
  • The next Fresno State Ice Cream tasting will be Tuesday, June 8, offering free samples of cake batter and butter pecan flavors.
  • The Summer Farm Festival has quickly become a signature seasonal event at the Gibson Farm Market. The event showcases student-produced foods through tastings and educational workshops, plus music and children’s activites. More festival details will be posted on Facebook and the Farm Market website.

Other information, including what’s fresh in the market is available at the market website or by calling 559.278.4511.

The market is again involved in this year’s America’s Favorite Farm Market Competition. Fans can vote through a link on the Facebook page or by visiting www.farmland.org/vote.

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