By Darrell Blackwelder
For The Salisbury Post
The 2009 Salisbury Farmers Market officially opens at 7 a.m. Saturday, April 18. The farmer’s market is located at the corner of South Main and Bank streets in downtown Salisbury.
Two large green shade canopies easily identify the area where local producers will be selling local produce and meat, flowers, baked goods and local handmade crafts.
The farmers market will be open 7 a.m.-noon Wednesdays and Saturdays (please note the time change).
The major objective of the market is to supply the public with fresh home grown products. Local growers strive to give customers as much variety and continuous supply of fresh produce with staggered plantings. Tomatoes, green beans, sweet corn and squash are staggered throughout the growing season so growers are not inundated with too much produce at once.
Most of the local produce growers are now WIC certified and can receive special WIC vouchers. Look for the special WIC posters at their booth. Also for the first time this year, senior vouchers will be accepted. More information about these programs will be published at a later date.
Visiting local growers is one of the benefits of this market. Growers enjoy sharing their knowledge about their crops and are eager to impart information. Those who shop at the market should keep an open dialogue with vendors and growers to learn about future availability of produce and other crops. Growers also need your input to help them determine future plantings. Many have recipes and cooking tips along with their produce. Early in the season is a good time to establish a relationship with growers.
Harry Agner is the market manager, coordinating the logistics of the market and is there to help customers if necessary and enforce market rules and guidelines. Because of food safety concerns, pets will not be allowed in the market area.
Those who wish to participate may submit a vendor application to Agner and pay a $12 per day fee for Wednesdays and Saturdays.
More information, including market rules, market application, participating vendors and an updated weekly newsletter, can be found at the market Web site www.salisburyrowanfarmersmarket.com.
Darrell Blackwelder is an agent in charge of horticulture with the North Carolina Cooperative Extension in Rowan County.