Highland County Farmers Market Opens Friday May 28

Hello, my name is Mary Parham and I am the Highland County Farmers Market Manager. We are excited to be starting our Farmers Market Friday, May 28, from 3:30 to 6pm and lasting throughout the season until October 8.

There are seven vendors that will be setting up at the first market and then nine if you count the two that will not be there in person, but they will have their products available.  The vendors that will be setting up at the first market, and for most of the season, are Allegheny Mountain Institute, Bruce’s Syrup and Candies, Church Hill Produce, Back Creek Farms, Internutritionals, The Stitch Witch, Blackthorn Estates Nursery and then Fireside Farm and Riven Rock Farm will have their meats available at market and I will be selling them at the information table.  The products that will be available at market on the 28^th range quite a bit.  We’re excited to have lots of fresh spring produce, everything from radishes and turnips and baby greens, kale and strawberries and there’ll be some vegetable and herb transplants available from different vendors, maple syrup and candies and baked goods as well as some lavender and bee body products, home items.   We’ll have some crafted, hand sewn bags and home décor items as well as some fresh locally raised chicken and beef.   I’m sure I’ve left off a few things, but that gives you an idea of the range we’re excited to be offering at market.  Most of those vendors will be there throughout the season, but, of course, as every farmers market experiences we will also have some vendors who will be cycling through as they have their products coming into fruition as the summer goes on.

We are proud to be offering SNAP benefits again at market this year.  So all community members that receive EBT benefits, it will be very simple for you to show up at market with your EBT card, visit me at the information table and we’ll be able to swipe your card and you will get tokens to spend at market, just like debit tokens.  In addition, thanks to Virginia Fresh Match we’ll be able to match your SNAP dollars, your EBT dollars, so in addition to however much you’ll be wanting to spend of your SNAP benefits you’ll also get an equal amount of dollars to spend on fresh produce.

We’ll be sharing weekly the products that will be available at market via our email newsletter as well as on the Highland Farmers Market Facebook page.  So if people are interested in following what the farmers market is doing and what different vendors will be bringing to market each week, then you can sign up for our newsletter on https://thehighlandcenter.org or you can go on to Facebook to follow us there.

We look forward to seeing you all there at the Farmers Market on May 28 from 3:30 to 6:00 pm at The Highland Center Market Pavilion.  If you have any questions or would like to be involved in the market you can email farmersmarket@thehighlandcenter.org or call 540-468-1922

For Allegheny Mountain Radio, I’m Mary Parham