The value of Missouri's agricultural production topped $5 billion for the first time in 1997.

With farm receipts almost evenly split between crops ($2.8 billion) and livestock ($2.7 billion), the state ranks 13th in the nation in cash receipts.

Not reflected in these statistics, which were revealed this week in the 1998 Missouri Farm Facts publication, is another source of income for a number of farmers: summer farmers markets such as the weekly market held each Thursday at Plaza Galleria parking lot in the 2000 block of Independence.

Only one more week remains for the Cape Girardeau Farmers Market, which will shut down following Thursday's market.

Farmers markets across Missouri were at an all-time high this year, with 75, up 22 from 1997.

"These markets are great for the local economy," said Doug Holt, director of the office of Value-Added Agriculture Outreach at the University of Missouri in Columbia. "The markets keep the money closer to home," said Holt.

There is no estimate of total current sales from farmers markets, but with 75 of them they attract millions of shoppers throughout the growing season.

The Cape Girardeau Farmers Market includes 18 growers. The City Market of Kansas City is host to as many as 300 vendors.

The local market is held each Thursday from 3 to 7 p.m. from early March to late October.

The market here is designed for vendors who produce fruits, vegetables, plants and flowers, said Marilyn Peters, marketing manager.

Peanuts and peanut brittle were available at the Peters stand Thursday.

"The peanuts are home grown and harvested," said Gene Peters, who was manning the booth along with Marilyn Peters' mother, Dorothy Miller. "And the peanut brittle is home-made."

With the season narrowing down, a wide variety of fruits, vegetables -- including okra, green peppers, green beans, radishes, and squash -- and bakery goods greeted a large crowd of shoppers Thursday.

"We hate to see the market end," said a spokesman for Lingle Produce in the Cobden, Ill., area. "We'll continue at the Carbondale, Ill., market on Saturdays through November."

Dawn Home Bakery, which produces pecan, cherry, apple and other pies, along with rolls and bread, is looking for a Cape Girardeau outlet for its home-made products.

Dawn High, owner of the Mount Vernon, Ill., bakery, has items in two Southern Illinois stores and hopes to arrange for a sales space here within the next week.

Many operators of medium and large farms have turned to the no-middleman-marketing activity because it takes little money and immediate cash flow.

Fruits and vegetables straight from local farms, gardens and orchards are a big draw for people at the outdoor markets.

"Farmers markets are also being promoted as tourist attractions, said Tammy Bruckerhoff, horticultural marketing specialist with the Missouri Department of Agriculture.

"We receive calls from several chambers of commerce each year wanting information on the markets," she said.

Direct marketing through farmers markets, roadside stands, and even pick-your-own operations is popular with consumers, and it pays off for the producers, said Bruckerhoff.

Consumers enjoy buying directly from producers. They get to select their own fresh produce, and the prices are competitive, she said.

In Southeast Missouri, farmers markets can also be found at Sikeston, Poplar Bluff and Kennett. They also operate at Anna and Carbondale in Illinois and at Paducah, Ky.