6/21/07

Farmers Market, a summer favorite, opens to big crowds, glorious weather
By Eric Goold

ERIC GOOLD/Manning Times

Local residents, hungry for some farm fresh produce, gathered early at the opening of Manning’s Farmer Market Saturday morning. From butter beans to okra to squash, shoppers gathered the delicacies of local fields. The Farmers Market is located on Boyce Street, adjacent to the John Deere outlet. The market opens each Saturday morning and remains open until everything is gone.

Are you hungry for some fresh produce?
Feel like sprucing up the house with some nice plants and flowers?

Then head on down to the Manning Farmers Market, which opened last Saturday and treated large crowds to fruits, vegetables and produce grown right here in Clarendon County.

The market was scheduled to open at 10 a.m. but people were milling about and ready to purchase items around 9:30. For about two hours, a steady stream of folks poured into the lot at the corner of Boyce and Barfield Streets (next to the John Deere outlet) and enjoyed some beautiful weather along with the fine produce.

“The crowd was about what we expected, for the first day,” said Jan McNair, who sits on the Planning Committee and also sells vegetables from J. Mac Farms. On Saturday, J. Mac’s famous butterbeans and peas seemed to be the most popular items at the Farmers Market.

“People have been coming for a couple of hours, and they were here early,” said McNair. “And as the summer goes along, it’s just going to get busier with beach traffic and more people. Next week will be real busy.”

Around 10 or 12 of the stalls for farmers were occupied. While an unexpected and unusually heavy freeze in early April devastated local farmers and seriously hurt their fruit crops, many farmers are back on their feet and are positive about recovery.

Blueberries were impossible to come by on Saturday and peaches, cantaloupes and watermelon were in short supply. Farmers expressed hope that they’ll have some of those crops available in the next few weeks and they have plenty to go around with other crops.

Corn, onions, okra, squash, cucumbers and tomatoes were all available in abundance, and as the summer progresses, the selection and quality of vegetables will only get better.

Sweet corn sold fast on Saturday, as did butterbeans and whatever fruit was available. Specialty items like fresh peppers were also popular.

A special program for senior citizens allows anyone over the age of 60 to receive five, $5 dollar vouchers for use at the Farmers Market. That’s a total of $25 that seniors can use to buy fresh, locally grown produce.

The vouchers can be obtained through the Council of Aging. There were several customers at the market on Saturday who took advantage of the vouchers.

“It’s a great program,” said McNair. “It seems to be really popular. We’re taking a lot of vouchers today.”

Part of the fun of the market is meeting friends and fellowshipping. Wandering and seeing the variety of items available is a great way to spend time outside and enjoy a beautiful morning.

Some of the people selling produce aren’t even farmers.

“I’ve been here for a couple of years. It’s a hobby, more or less,” said Larry Brock, who appeared to be the only vendor offering watermelons. “I’m not a farmer, I just like to grow things. I give a lot of my stuff away. I just like growing things, being outside. It’s healthy for you.”

Other vendors sold their produce for a good cause.

“It’s good exposure,” said Betty Wellock, one of a couple different vendors who sold plants and flowers. “It’s a very valuable way to get notice for the Alzheimer’s Memory Walk. I really want the community to get involved with the Memory Walk, which is October 13 this year.

“All of this stuff I grow in my garden,” said Wellock. “All of the proceeds I get from selling it go to Alzheimer’s research and to the Memory Walk.”

There were smiles to go around for everybody as the Farmers Market officially heralded summertime in Clarendon County has arrived.

The market opens at 10 a.m. every Saturday and goes until everything is sold.