RIPPLE/Lindsay Craven
RIPPLE/Lindsay Craven
Yadkinville Farmer’s Market officers left to right: Cheryl Shepherd, Sandra Keefer, Aileen Steelman, Carl Myers, Christopher Ong
RIPPLE/Lindsay Craven
RIPPLE/Lindsay Craven
Farmers and officers gathered on April 9 to discuss items that will be available for opening day on May 8.
Lindsay Craven
Staff Writer
A perk of living in a farming county is the abundance of fresh, local produce and fruit.
Sometimes those items can still be hard to find despite all the crops in the area, but the Yadkinville Farmer’s Market is working to change that.
The market will kick off its opening day on Tuesday, May 8 from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at its location behind Yadkinville City Park.
“We’re trying to provide a place for the local farmers to sell produce and baked goods and things they make, bake or grow,” said Aileen Steelman, the organization’s marketing manager said.
The market plays hosts to as many as 30 farmers in a season, which lasts from May through October. Market days are Tuesdays from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon.
Last year’s market suffered from excessively hot temperatures that led to crops with shorter life spans and led to fewer market days due to lack of demand.
“They went for every Saturday last year, but it started getting really slim,” said Cheryl Spepherd, the organization’s advertising and entertainment officer. “When the tomatoes went out early people quit coming. We’re hoping that everybody will have several plantings of tomatoes this year so we will have them later.”
The organization has some special plans for its opening day including registration for a Mother’s Day gift basket featuring a collaboration of items from the farmers. There will also be entertainment and live music.
“We’re having a lot of events this year that we haven’t had before,” Sarah Miller said. “Each week we’ll have a focus on the produce or fruit that is featured. There will be recipes, samples and little growing tips and we’re hoping that all of the vendors will be focused on that particular item as well.”
Steelman says that there are about 14 dedicated spots in the farmer’s market shelter. The spots cost the farmer’s $50 for a season. Shepherd says that almost of these spots are already spoken for.
Farmers can also choose to pay $5 a day and pick and choose when they participate. The organization expects to have 15 to 16 participating farmers on its opening day.
There is no charge for patrons to visit to the farmers market.
Reach Lindsay Craven at 679-2341 or at lcraven@heartlandpublications.com.
Post a Comment
