Farmers market opens for season

This year, the goal is to fill the farmers market with fresh, seasonal produce, locally sourced meats, eggs, plants, and seeds for growing vegetables and ornamental plants, said Christal Smith, farmers market manager.

Although new to the role, Smith is no stranger to the farmers market.

She was a long-time customer of the farmers market because she wanted to buy local produce and prepare home-cooked meals.

As the farmers market manager, Smith wants to fill the farmers market with local produce for area residents.

“I wanted to come in the role because I’m very passionate about it,” Smith said. “It’s something I knew I would put my all into, and it’s something I have dedicated a lot of my time to.”

Smith said she is bringing some new things to the farmers’ market this year.

Along with selling local produce, crafts, baked goods, and other unique, one-of-a-kind items, the farmers market will have face painting for children, educational events with local beekeepers, baby goats, pigs and food trucks, she said.

“Just little things to try to captivate the public because we want people to come out to the farmers market and have a good time,” she said.

The farmers market will also add cooking demonstrations featuring local produce that someone from the N.C Cooperative Extension office will teach, Smith said.

“(They’ll) be showing people how to make recipes because some people may not know how to cook with these things,” she said.

The farmers market has 14 spaces for vendors and will feature additional tents in front of and outside the farmers market building.

Six tents will be added in front of the farmers market building, while 15 tents will be in the parking lot behind the building, Smith said.

While space inside the farmers market is limited, there is no vendor application deadline, Smith said.

“We don’t say no to anybody but there are times where we have to extend outside,” she said.

While many vendors accept credit cards, some only accept cash. There is an ATM in the farmers market where people can withdraw cash if need be, Smith said.

Smith said she encourages people to visit the farmers market donation station because, at the end of each weekend, vendors can donate produce that wasn’t sold but is still sellable and donate it to families in need or churches that provide meals to the homeless.

The heart of Wayne County is agriculture, and the farmers market is a way to support local merchants, she said.

“I think it’s very important to showcase our local farmers and let people know these are still options that we have,” Smith said.

For more information, visit www.wayne.ces.ncsu.edu or call 919-731-1512.