N

The Coffee County Farmers Market will officially open for the 2023 season at dawn Saturday, May 6 in downtown Manchester at 210 E. Fort St.

“Markets are starting to get squared away and ready,” Board member Debbie Wittig said. “I know there will be lettuces and greens, asparagus is growing now and some people may have potatoes and other produce.”

Wittig said it is still early in the season for a lot of vegetables, but other items typically available at the farmers market early in the season include fresh baked breads and pastries, homemade candies, farm fresh eggs and locally grown beef and pork products.

“We have plants that people who want to start a garden can come and look at and there might be some local honey,” she said.

The Coffee County Farmers Market is located under a pavilion equipped with both electricity and permanent restrooms.

Operated by a board, the farmers market opened in 1984, and currently has a full roster of vendors who are members and sell their products every Saturday between May and October.

“We currently are full with our regular members, because with scheduling some people want to take a week to go visit family and sometimes we will have a few open spots,” Wittig said. “We can always squeeze a few people in here and there.”

Wittig said the best way for potential vendors to inquire about selling at the Coffee County Farmers Market is by contacting the market through its Facebook page.

“They have been contacting us through our Facebook page and I have gotten several people that want to come during the weekly market to sell things,” she said. “I have told a few people yes, come on ahead and we will see about getting a spot, but it is first come first serve and we try and accommodate as many people as we can.”

“I don’t expect it to be too crowded, but I could be shocked,” Wittig added.

As vendors are getting set up each Saturday, photos of what is available for sale at the farmers market will be posted to Facebook to help give area residents an idea of what they could purchase.

Wittig said the Coffee County Farmers Market is an important asset for the community.

“It is an important thing to promote the local farmers who have been coming here for years selling their homegrown produce and products,” she said. “We make friends over the years and certain people have developed relationships with people in the community, and people know that during the spring and summer months they can come out and listen to Cecil Wilson play his music and shop around and see what is growing.”