Feels Like Summer's Here

WASHINGTON, D.C. - For Rob Duncan, this weekend was the moment of truth. “The heat brings everybody out like ants to sugar,” the owner of Dolcezza says. Duncan makes exotic-flavored gelatos and he’s selling them for the first time this year at the FARMFRESH farmer’s market at Dupont Circle.

Sunday’s 88 degree heat was putting Duncan’s cooling system to the test. “We actually pack all of this with dry ice,” Duncan says as he pulls out half-pints of the gelato. “It keeps everything rock solid.”

Over at Buster’s Seafood, Paige Hogge says they trucked in more than 400 pounds of old-fashioned ice to keep the crabmeat cool. “It does pretty good,” she says. “It does pretty good.”

On Saturday, the 92 degree heat broke the record at Dulles Airport. By lunchtime on Sunday, it was definitely sizzling again.

“We are loving this beautiful weather, but its getting a little bit warm to be honest. Trying to keep our instruments in tune,” says Sam Petsonk, the lead singer of “The Extension Agents.” The folk music group is made up of US Department of Agriculture employees who like to play at the market every weekend.

The head, Petsonk says, “makes the wood in the instruments swell. But, you know, it’s OK. We’ve got a good accordionist with us. He’s keeping us in tempo.”

“Farmers are realists,” says Jim Huyett. The owner of Sunnyside Farm and Orchards out of West Virginia, Huyett didn’t know what the fuss was all about. “I don’t really consider this to be real hot,” he says.

Maybe he’s right. With temperatures only reaching the high eighties by Sunday afternoon, it just wasn’t enough to break another record.

But the sun was still plenty powerful for the littlest market-goers. Jen Campbell used a baby blanket to cover-up her five week-old son Lucas. “You’re not supposed to put sunscreen on them until they’re six months old,” she says.

Lucas was starting to get cranky and Campbell admitted she was a bit uncomfortable. But unlike her son, Campbell loved it. “Its crazy, but its great. Who knows what that means for August, but we’ll take it today.”