Here's a prediction: Over the course of the next few years, the Farmers Market will become one of McCook's most popular events, bringing dozens of vendors and hundreds of buyers to town every Saturday morning throughout late summer.

That's easy for me to say. Why? Because, as all who have visited this year's Farmers Markets can tell you, McCook is well on the way to being an extremely busy Saturday morning marketplace.

With very little room to operate -- in the small parking lot between Peterson Jewelers and Farrell's Hallmark -- crowds of early risers start gathering soon after 7 a.m. on Saturdays, visiting with vendors and getting their pick of fresh garden produce and just baked sweet goods.

In the quick minutes which follow -- between 7:30 and 10:30 a.m. -- more scores of shoppers arrive, turning the cramped space into a beehive of activity. Even as the vegetable picking -- and people grinning -- continues, more vendors arrive, maneuvering their pickups into the midst of the gathering throng.

It's so much fun. And, to make it even better, it's hometown fun. There's a little negotiating going on, as buyers try to get the best deal they can on tomatoes and sweet corn, but the best thing is the visiting which takes place among friends and neighbors.

In large part, we have Ivan Schmid to thank for the Farmers Market success. After getting off to a slow start in 1996, Ivan took charge of the market for McCook's Main Street organization in 1997. It's been growing in popularity ever since.

In fact, it has become so popular that the rejuvenated Main Street organization, in combination with the Chamber of Commerce, is looking for a location with more space and more parking for the market in future years.

Have ideas? Then call Bill Longnecker, Ivan Schmid or Pam Harsh. And, while awaiting an even bigger and better Farmers Market in 2008, make it a point to come downtown for the rest of this year's Farmer's Markets. For the best produce picking, it's best to come early. But, even if you come later, it's still lots of fun visiting with friends and neighbors and negotiating deals with the vendors.

Wake Up Call

For miles around, residents of the McCook area were jolted wide awake Wednesday morning, July 11, when a resounding clap of thunder reverberated through the community and the surrounding countryside.

As it turns out, a damaging lightning strike accompanied the thunderous boom.

Luckily, Larry Bass was not home when the bolt of lightning hit the 50-foot TV antenna mast which sits beside his house at No. 1 Cardinal Lane. That is in the area in northern McCook between Norris Avenue and West Second Street.

Larry's father, Ed Bass, was the first to become aware that damage was done. Since Larry was out of town -- on a car-buying trip to Denver with Mike Deveny -- Ed passed by Larry's place and noticed that there were no lights on. "That's odd," he thought, so he checked things out.

What he found was that lightning had hit the TV mast, blowing both the power line and water line. Upon his return, Larry inspected the damage. "It blew the 100-amp fuses clear out of the panel," he said.

The lightning surge was so powerful that it ruined three television sets, took out all the phone lines, melted the TV cable, popped light bulbs and knocked out a garage door opener.

Larry, also known as Red, is the owner of L B Motors Inc. This was his first experience with lightning, and he hopes it his last. "It's powerful stuff," he said. "I'm glad I wasn't home when it hit."