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Final day Oct. 27

As the days begin to get cooler and shorter, the Coffee County Farmers Market officially begins to wind down its annual season. Located at in downtown Manchester at 210 E. Fort St., the market will officially close for the winter following its last day Saturday, Oct. 28.

Coffee County Farmers Market Board President Sandy Anderson said she would say the market has enjoyed a successful season this year.

“It has been really good, we have had a lot of customers,” she said. “When corn and everything is in we have about 300 or 400 people.”

A vendor herself for more than a decade, Anderson said her most popular items are corn and tomatoes.

Founded in 1984, the Coffee County Farmers Market is operated by a board, and welcomes vendors to sell everything from fresh local produce to local honey and even freeze dried candy and snacks between the first Saturday in May and the last Saturday of October.

Kathyn Prater said this is the first year her family has sold freeze dried goods as well as mushrooms at the Coffee County Farmers Market and it has been a positive experience.

“It is wonderful, I love seeing everybody come out and meeting everybody,” she said.

Prater said the most popular freeze-dried item she sells would have to be cinnamon apples.

Ed Dulin, who sells organic vegetables at the farmers market said he has seen some growth just this year alone.

“I think that we have had a huge growth in vendors in just this past season,” he said. “What I would like to see is more information provided to the public that we actually are here. I think if we had advertising more people would know we are here.”

Dulin said this was his fourth year selling organic vegetables at the Coffee County Farmers Market.

“It is providing for the community, in a niche that in this market is pretty unique,” he said.

Dulin said one of the most challenging aspects of organic farming is weed and pest control.

“The organic pest control I use has to be reapplied after every rain, so that can get to be a little much,” he said. “Or if there are heavy dews for two or three days then I have to redo it again.”

Vendor Catherine Lowe was also on hand, selling a variety of vegetables, decorated pumpkins and interesting stones.

A vendor for about six years, Lowe said she started out by selling fresh eggs, and gradually added additional items. Despite a variety of offerings, one of her baked goods seems to remain the most popular year after year.

“My zucchini bread has got to be my best seller,” she said. “They say it is not as sweet as some and it is moist.”

Lowe said she has enjoyed the comradery found at the Coffee County Farmers Market.

“The people are great and it is just a wonderful loving atmosphere,” she said.