Larry Smith’s smiling face has been a welcoming fixture in the Market for many years. His daughter Kim Kirkman joined him over ten years ago and now works and sells and smiles by his side. Larry’s grandmother sold at Market when it was on Commerce Street and after it moved to Yanceyville and Lindsay, which makes Larry and Kim third and fourth generation Curb Market regulars.
Larry began selling hothouse tomatoes at Market in 1978 after he left FlavorRich Dairy. He soon produced the first greenhouse raised tomatoes in Guilford County. Imagine the sales talent he showed when he introduced those tomatoes.
At one point, a customer asked if Larry’s tomatoes were fresh. Deadpan Larry quickly replied, “Yes, Ma’am. I opened those cans this morning.” The customer laughed, Larry laughed and a new relationship was born.
Today, Larry and Kim produce greens, flowers, vegetables and herbs in eleven greenhouses plus three acres where they rotate crops and in containers they can move into a greenhouse. The greenhouses support production of warm weather crops in the coldest weather. Asking Larry and Kim what is in season from Mindenhill Farm may bring surprising answers such tomatoes and peppers in February.
Mindenhill vegetables also include sweet peppers, English and traditional cucumbers, turnips, broccoli and the tiny broccoli florets produced after the main broccoli heads are harvested. (Larry thinks the tiny florets are sweeter than full heads of broccoli.)
Their list of greens is long: collards, mustards, chards, an Asian green called Tatsoi, arugula, spinach, various lettuces and five (!) varieties of kale. You may also count the herbs parsley and basil in the greens list.
Then there are hanging baskets of strawberries and edible dish gardens in spring, flowering hanging baskets and cyclamen at various times and poinsettias from now through Christmas.
Look for Mindenhill Farm and Kim and Larry on aisle A & B tables 14,15, 35,36. They sell year round including Wednesday. Larry generally takes a few weeks off in the dead of winter to help build houses in Puerto Rico. Kim will carry on his absence.
