Knoxville.com

When: Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Where: Market Square

Cost: Unknown

Age limit: All ages

Categories: Farmer's market, Activities - Street Festival

Description: Market Square Farmers' Market
Opening Day, May 2, 2009, 9 am-2 pm

The Market Square Farmers' Market (MSFM) opens for the 6th season on May 2 with a "green" launch party including a swap-o-rama, commuter bike challenge, a new recycling program and booths from environmental organizations.

What's in season?

Despite the warm weather, it is still early in the growing season. Over the next few weeks, expect to find spring onions, lettuces, greens, spinach, strawberries, herbs, radishes and beets, plus meat, eggs, honey, milk and cheese. Produce sells out quickly this time of year, especially strawberries, so get there early. Now is also a great time to by vegetable, herb and landscaping plants.

We've added many new prepared food vendors, including Miss Mell's Fine Pastries and Cakes, Haven House and Tomato Head. Plus, most of your favorite craft vendors will return with jewelry, textiles, woodwork and much more.

Cruze Farm will return this year with pints of milk to compliment all those sweet treats. In a few weeks, they will begin selling their farm fresh ice cream! Our local dairy recently got some national attention in the NY Times. We're so proud.

For opening day, local nurseries will have native shrubs, vegetable and herb plants and landscaping plants for sale throughout the month. To kick off Smart Trips Month, the Knoxville Regional Bicycle Program is holding "Bike to the Beach," an errand-running bike challenge to show how bicyclists can carry out their daily activities without polluting. The MSFM will offer 20% off their merchandise throughout May to Smart Trips participants with an Undrivers License. Customers can sign up for an Undrivers License at the Smart Trips booth on opening day and during all Wednesday markets in May, where Smart Trips will also be hosting commuter bike fairs.

Plus, the MSFM will host the LIVE more SIMPLY so we can simply live EVENT.

Stop by for a few minutes or several hours for FREE eco-giveaways, a clothing swap-o-rama, and an introduction to an indie eco-film.
Swap-o-rama-rama: Bring a bag of clothes to trade and $5-$10 to participate, or just $10-$15 to shop without a bag of clothes. Learn wonderful ways to create out of textile reuse and tricks to fix up your finds at 4 sewing stations.
Eco-Film Screening: Learn how to be more sustainable at home through the film project Within Reach which documents sustainable communities around the US on a 12,000 mile bicycle tour. www.withinreachmovie.com

The Market Square Farmers' Market is open every Wednesday from 11am-2pm and Saturday from 9am-2pm
May 2-Nov. 21, 2009
marketsquarefarmersmarket.org

Event posted: April 30, 2009
Last updated: April 30, 2009