Strawberries from the Colvin Family Farm in Bledsoe County, Tenn.
Last year when the Market Square Farmers’ Market opened, it seemed as if the only things available were lettuces and green onions. But this year is entirely different. From beautiful strawberries and broccoli to delicious jams and breads, you literally could feed your family from the bounty of local farmers. And it’s still April.
The Market Square Farmers’ Market had what it is calling a “soft opening” today. Actually, the folks from Dogwood Arts Festival invited them to bring their food vendors onto Market Street while Dogwood’s “Chalk Walk” was taking place on Market Square and on Krutch Park. It was a great combination. The weather was perfect. Musicians claimed their corners. And the restaurant patios filled up. I don’t think it’s exaggerating to say that joy truly was in the air! Next week, the Farmers’ Market will officially be open.
Here’s what we saw today.
The Old City Buskers set up in front of Market Square Kitchen, a restaurant that closed for good last week. Talk is that another locally owned restaurant will open across the street in the Arnstein Building where Macleod's Pub used to be.
Isn't this the cutest idea? The flowers from Napping Cat Flower Farm in Maryville, just $4 per arrangement, are in vegetable cans.
Ain't it the truth?
Jenni Dickenson and her daughter, Emma, run Napping Cat Flower Farm.
Broccoli is Alan's favorite vegetable, and this looked great so we bought some. It's from Mountain Meadows Farm near Norris.
Our friend Dawn Ford buys lettuce from J.D. Dimick of Happy Harvest Farm in New Market.
J.D. also sells eggs. He makes a great point with this exhibit. I love the frowny and smiley faces!
Jalapeno cheddar bread from Knoxville's Cheesecakes & Breads by Rick. We will buy a lot of loaves from him this summer!
Adorable ladies from Cruze Dairy Farm in Knoxville.
Fresh milk from Cruze Dairy Farm.
Pretty green onions from Bob Due's Terraced Gardens Farm
All kinds of herbs were featured at the Gregory's Greenhouse truck.
These green eggs are from araconna hens. They have all kinds of eggs at the Wisner Farms booth. Wisner Farms is in Dandridge.
Willie Wisner holds a goose egg. It's the equivalent of four hen eggs, which would make a nice sized omelet.
Kimberly Pettigrew and Art Carmichael staff the Market Square Farmers' Market booth. That's this year's poster on the left.
If our cat, Rexie, didn't have such a sensitive stomach, we'd have bought one of these.
We bought some strawberry jam from Jessica Hammonds of Organicism Farms. She made it yesterday!
Here it is at home. I love how "homemade" it looks!
Stacey Adam of Blooming Earth Flowers just moved into some space downtown. Yay!
Does this woman look relaxed? It's because it is Lisa Duncan, head of the Dogwood Arts Festival. Today's "Chalk Walk" was one of the last events of this year's festival.
Chalk artists at work on Market Square
I LOVED this elephant by Leah Davis, Natalie McQuicken and Haley Morris.
These fish are by Elizabeth Lynch.
Ginny Gray Davis and her son, Gray Davis, work on a portrait of a penguin family.
Our friend Hannah Parker gave us this great shopping bag, which we used for the first time today. Thanks, Hannah!
Here are some links to some of the vendors mentioned in this post: Organicism Farms, Bob Due’s Terraced Gardens Farm, Wisner Farms, Colvin Family Farm, Mountain Meadows Farm, Cruze Dairy Farm, Gregory’s Greenhouse, Happy Harvest Farm, Blooming Earth Flowers, and the Old City Buskers.
Would LOVE to have been there yesterday, but I was busy rehabbing my garden for the Open Garden Day next Saturday for the National Botannical Arboretum…
so I will miss next Saturday, too. But plan to be there the following Saturday!!! I love all of the locally grown items sold there!!
Very nice blog! Great pix!
Question: is there a website for Napping Cat Flower Farm? I tried to look it up and I can’t find anything.
Thanks!
Rachel
Thanks, Rachel.I have their business card, but it doesn’t list a website. It does have this email address: [email protected]. Hope this helps.
Glo: From what I’m hearing, that Open Garden Day is going to be great! Fingers crossed for good weather.
So glad that you’ve been able to use the bag! I thought it fitting for my social-media-guru friends. Also glad to have been bumped from “young friend” to just regular “friend.” I turn 25 in a couple of weeks, you know.
Thanks for continuing to keep this transplanted East Tennessean abreast of all the news and views from Knoxville!
Hannah
Do they have this every Saturday? Also, what kind of camera do you use? Your pictures on here always look so clear and beautiful color!!!
Hey, Gina: Yes, every Saturday May through November. And thanks for the compliment. I use a Canon PowerShot digital camera. Believe me, the camera must be good — because I’m not a photographer by any stretch of the imagination!
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