AROUND LEXINGTON COUNTY

It’s summertime and fresh fruits and vegetables are plentiful!

With agriculture being so prominent in our county, farmlands are working overtime to bring us the freshest and finest.

In speaking with Donna Bundrick of Gilbert, retired Department of Agriculture marketing specialist, she says, along with poultry, wheat, collards and kale are top products. Some peaches are grown here, but there are even more in Saluda County.

Currently, squash, beans, corn, peaches and tomatoes are plentiful and can be found at locals markets. She recommends stir frying them in olive oil with pre-cooked meat. She says eat them al dente, crisp tender. That way you get all the nutrients.

Donna suggests a summer salad of kale, blueberries, strawberries and peaches tossed with olive oil and topped with toasted pecans and honey. Delicious!

Hopefully, you received your Chronicle early today and read about the MaterFest being held today, 4-8 p.m., at American Legion Post 7 at the Legion Hut off Harmon Street. There will be music, sandwiches made with Dukes Mayo and, of course, “maters.” Proceeds will benefit post activities to support variance and their families.

Post 7 will host Boys and Girls State participants July 14 at 7 p.m. and invites you to come meet these amazing young people. Cost is $7 per person for dinner.

Former Mayor Hugh Rogers and Lexington business and legal community members celebrated Independence Day with a luncheon at the Old Mill Brew Pub. Those in attendance included Pete Oliver, Scott Adams, Mike Flack, Felix Kirszenbaum, Horace Harmon, Peter Korn, Eddie Howard and Randy Herald.

Once every 100 years, an agave plant blooms. If you want to see one, visit Wingard’s Nursery on North Lake Drive. After blooming, the plant will die and be discarded.

How nice to see so many American flags lining Main Street, at both businesses and homes. There is no such thing as too much patriotism. As the late Congressman Floyd Spence would say, “Wave the American flag.”

Former Lexington Mayor Randy Halfacre led a delegation to Washington, D.C., last week to meet with elected representatives in connection with local economic development initiatives.

Lexington County residents Brian Simmons, Debbie Germany, Rick Swift, Connie Mitchell, Ed Smither and Scott Adams were among participants in a conference of educations in Greenville last week. They discussed ways to improve higher education and study the benefits of online graduate education programs.

Lexington Medical Center is conducting on-site job interviews July 13-14 on the 4th floor of Lexington Medical Park 1, 2728 Sunset Blvd., West Columbia. It is recruiting nurses, clinical coordinators, technicians, lab professionals, administrative assistants, police officers, food service and housekeeping staff. Apply at www.LexMed.com/careers or call 803-744-8716.

Belated happy birthday to Ruby Sox, who turned 101 years young on July 8.

Happy birthday to John DeGenova, Robbie Bell, Ned Nicholson, Jennifer Yakimo, Kathy Dixon, Caroline Adams, Mary Bell, David Hipp, Bob Shields, Theresa Goff, Dan Tinman, Ruth Martin, Becky Harmon, Nancy Tinman, Louis Davis, Alecia Wingard, Carol Ryall, Nora Schafer, Bev Gunter, Debbie Gunter, Tyler Brown, Evan Farr, Brian Ralston, Sydney Bosley, Rebecca Harmon, Jennifer Morario, Ashley Ruiz, Will Taylor, Brooks Weaver, Dorothy Christine, Terry Lowry, Paulette Shealy, and Mary Beth Stafford.