Local farmers market to open Tuesday

Milledgeville MainStreet is sowing the seeds of last year’s success with its farmers market by gearing up for this year’s May 4 opening day.

The dates and times for the farmers market will remain the same this year. The market will be open Tuesdays from 4-7 p.m. from in the parking lot next to the Golden Pantry, located at 222 E. Hancock St. in downtown Milledgeville. The market’s season will be from May 4 to Nov. 30.

The grand opening will be bringing local bluegrass music from Sandra and T.P. Hollomon and a remote broadcast from Z-97, WMGZ. Entertainment is one of Milledgeville MainStreet’s goals to improve the program this year. It hopes to have entertainment at least twice a month and is looking into the possibility of having art demonstrations and exhibitions. It plans to offer additional training to vendors interested in improving their products.

“We’ve got a pretty good group (of vendors) already,” Milledgeville MainStreet Executive Director Belinda Washlesky said.

Some of the vendors will be selling products such as strawberries, tomatoes, baked goods and honey. While some of the vendors are from Milledgeville and Baldwin County, others hail from surrounding areas such as Eatonton.

Milledgeville resident Warren Moore sells a wide variety of produce, from cucumbers to watermelons, at the market, but he specializes in tomatoes. He came into growing produce after retiring from teaching school.

“I was looking for something to do and now it’s my full-time job,” Moore said.

He said he has been pleased with his participation in the Milledgeville farmers market because of its mix of locals and those affiliated with GCSU.

“Milledgeville and Harmony Crossing (Lake Oconee) are my best markets,” Moore said. “They’re both extremely well-managed markets, very pleasant.”

Visitors have also found the market to be a good place to spend a Tuesday afternoon.

“(I enjoy) just being out in the air and meeting and talking to people,” said Lou Knight, whose wife has a booth selling pet rocks at the farmers market. “It’s a really good opportunity for my wife to show her talent.”

Washlesky is excited about the possibilities of this year’s farmers market and hopes to add to her list of 68 vendors that sell their wares at the market.

“I want to make it the best market in middle Georgia,” Washlesky said.

Posted by Claire Kersey on Apr 30 2010. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry