• About
    • About Us
    • What We Cover
  • Advertise
    • Advertise
    • Our Advertisers
  • Contact
  • Donate
  • Send News
  • Subscribe

Oak Ridge Today

  • Home
  • Sign in
  • News
    • Business
    • Community
    • Education
    • Government
    • Health
    • Police and Fire
    • U.S. Department of Energy
    • Weather
  • Sports
    • High School
    • Middle School
    • Recreation
    • Rowing
    • Youth
  • Entertainment
    • Arts
    • Dancing
    • Movies
    • Music
    • Television
    • Theater
  • Premium Content
  • Obituaries
  • Classifieds




Winter Farmers’ Market opens Saturday

Posted at 8:53 am December 5, 2019
By Oak Ridge Today Staff Leave a Comment

The Winter Farmers’ Market will open in Oak Ridge on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019, and it will be open through March 28, 2020, in St. Mary’s School gym in Oak Ridge. (Photo courtesy Grow Oak Ridge)

The Winter Farmers’ Market will open in Oak Ridge on Saturday, and it will be open through March.

With more than 30 vendors each week, the Winter Farmers’ Market is the largest one in Anderson County, a press release said.

This weekend’s opening is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, December 7, in the gym at St. Mary’s School in Oak Ridge.

This year, the Winter Farmers’ Market will extend an extra four weeks, through March 28, 2020. It is closed only on the Saturday after Christmas, December 28, the press release said.

“Our farmers grow a wide array of crops all winter long,” said Rebecca Williams, director of Grow Oak Ridge, the nonprofit organization that produces the market.

Advertisement

“Several farmers asked if we would continue the market through March. They are working hard to farm all year, and they will bring to Oak Ridge locally grown produce, pasture-raised beef, pork, chicken and tilapia, honey, free-range eggs, fresh flowers, herbal teas, live plants and more,” Williams said in the press release.

“We also have four bakers with wonderful breads and pastries, and many artisan crafters who make unique handmade gifts like home décor, natural bath and body products, jewelry, pottery, wood crafts, woven textiles, and original artwork as well. All of our vendors live within 150 miles of the market,” Williams said.

 The market has a coffee vendor and food truck each week, as well as an indoor eating area. It also offers a free weekly children’s program called the Power of Produce (POP) Club.

“Kids 12 and under who taste two bites of a vegetable get $2 to spend on fruits and vegetables in the market, along with nutrition games and education,” Williams said. “This year, the program is directed by an Oak Ridge High School senior, Claire Gibson, who is working on her Girl Scout Gold Award with this project.”

The Winter Farmers’ Market is free to enter. Vendors take cash, and sometimes debit and credit cards. The Welcome Desk also sells $5 tokens that spend in the market like cash, which customers can purchase with a credit or debit card.

Advertisement

In addition, the Winter Farmers’ Market is the only one in Anderson County that accepts SNAP benefits (food stamps), and it doubles them up to $20 per day for produce in a program called Double Up Food Bucks, the press release said.

“About 20 percent of Oak Ridge residents receive SNAP benefits,” Williams said. “SNAP not only means higher sales for our farmers, but also more fresh food for families in need, better health for Anderson County, and a farmers’ market that truly welcomes everyone in Oak Ridge.”

Returning vendors include VG’s Bakery, Cooks on the Curb, Zavels Family Farm, Spring Oak Farm, Wilson Family Farm, Gooseberry Knoll Farm, Eco-Rich Farms, Friendly Farm, Crout Farm, Alpaca Junction and many more. Several new vendors have joined the market for the upcoming season:  Crazy Cubans Food Truck, Half Ridge Farm, Down the Rabbit Hole pottery, Handmade Toffee & Treats and Ocoee Creamery, to name a few. There are 45 vendors on roll, with an average of 30 each week, the press release said.

Free special events are offered throughout the season in the room next to the market. This month, the Second Annual Sports Cards and Collectibles Show is on December 7, and A Capital Christmas is December 14, featuring Christmas cookies and activities by St. Mary’s School students. More workshops and classes will be coming in January, the press release said.

Winter Farmers Market Carrots
Winter Farmers Market Carrots (Photo courtesy Grow Oak Ridge)

While the market is not produced by the parish, St. Mary’s is its host, Williams said. “We appreciate the church’s dedication to hunger relief in Anderson County, and we donate a portion of all weekly fees to their food bank. They provide this beautiful space, and we could not have this market without their support.”

The Winter Farmers’ Market is also supported by the Anderson County Health Department, Slow Food Tennessee Valley, Oak Ridge Pediatrics, University of Tennessee Extension Service, The Ferrell Shop, and many other individual donations. Volunteers help throughout the market, providing customer service, live music, and market workshops.

“Grow Oak Ridge is proud to produce this vibrant, thriving farmers’ market that is truly an outgrowth of community support and talent,” Williams said. “We are a 501(c)(3) organization, and any donations are tax-deductible as the law allows. We thank the community so much for their support these last four years, and look forward to many more.”

 For more information or to make a donation, visit www.GrowOakRidge.org.

Winter Farmers Market Zack Zavels
Winter Farmers Market (Photo courtesy Grow Oak Ridge)
Winter Farmers Market Tomatoes
Winter Farmers Market Tomatoes (Photo courtesy Grow Oak Ridge)
Winter Farmers Market Girl Holding POP Bucks
Winter Farmers Market Girl Holding POP Bucks (Photo courtesy Grow Oak Ridge)
Winter Farmers Market Produce
Winter Farmers Market Produce (Photo courtesy Grow Oak Ridge)
Winter Farmers Market Flower Arrangement
Winter Farmers Market Flower Arrangement (Photo courtesy Grow Oak Ridge)

More information will be added as it becomes available.

You can contact John Huotari, owner and publisher of Oak Ridge Today, at (865) 951-9692 or [email protected]

Most news stories on Oak Ridge Today are free, brought to you by Oak Ridge Today with help from our advertisers, sponsors, and subscribers. This is a free story. Thank you to our advertisers, sponsors, and subscribers. You can see what we cover here.


Do you appreciate this story or our work in general? If so, please consider a monthly subscription to Oak Ridge Today. See our Subscribe page here. Thank you for reading Oak Ridge Today.

Copyright 2019 Oak Ridge Today. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Filed Under: Anderson County, Business, Business, Community, Front Page News, Slider Tagged With: Anderson County, farmer's market, Grow Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge, Rebecca Williams, St. Mary’s School, Winter Farmers Market

Advertisements

Join the club!

If you appreciate our work, please consider subscribing. Besides helping us, your subscription will give you access to our premium content.

Most of our stories are free, brought to you by Oak Ridge Today with help from our members—advertisers, subscribers, and sponsors.

But some are premium content, available only to members. Those are in-depth, investigative, or exclusive stories that are available only on Oak Ridge Today. They generally require at least four hours to report, write, and publish.

You can subscribe for as little as $5 per month.

You can read more about your options here.

We currently offer five primary subscription options to readers, and they include benefits.

Basic

  • Basic monthly subscription ($5 per month)—access premium content
  • Basic annual subscription ($60 per year)—access premium content

Pro

  • Pro monthly subscription ($10 per month)—access premium content, get breaking news emails first, and submit one press release or public service announcement per month
  • Pro annual subscription ($100 per year)—save $20 per year, access premium content, get breaking news emails first, and submit one press release or public service announcement per month

Temporary

  • Temporary access ($3 per week for two weeks)

We also have advanced subscription options. You can see them here.

We also accept donations. You can donate here.

If you prefer to send a check for a subscription or donation, you may do so by mailing one to:

Oak Ridge Today
P.O. Box 6064
Oak Ridge, TN 37831

Thank you for your consideration and for reading Oak Ridge Today. We appreciate your support.

Commenting Guidelines

We welcome comments, but we ask you to follow a few guidelines:

1) Please use your real name, including last name. Please also use a valid e-mail address.
2) Be civil. Don't insult others, attack their character, or get personal.
3) Stick to the issues.
4) No profanity.
5) Keep your comments to a reasonable length and to a reasonable number per article.

We reserve the right to remove any comments that violate these guidelines. Comments held for review, usually from those posting for the first time, may not post if they violate these guidelines. Thank you for your patience and understanding. Thank you also for reading Oak Ridge Today and for participating in the discussion.

More information is available here.

More Business News

Horizon-Center-Motorsports-Track-6-Feb-11-2020

Motorsports park will not be built in Oak Ridge

Part of the site where a test track and research facility or motorsports park was proposed on the back side of Horizon Center in west Oak Ridge is pictured above on Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2020. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak … [Read More...]

The Other One Diner moving to Turnpike

The Other One Diner and Dive is moving from Grove Center to Oak Ridge Turnpike, the restaurant announced Tuesday morning. Because of the move, the restaurant will be closed for the rest of the week. When it … [Read More...]

City of Oak Ridge Seal

Planning Commission to discuss site plans for storage facility, apartments

The Oak Ridge Municipal Planning Commission will discuss a site plan for the planned storage facility at Main Street Oak Ridge and apartments on Emory Valley Road on Thursday. The storage facility would be built along … [Read More...]

Lavender Festival Overview

Lavender Festival will not be held this year

The annual Lavender Festival in June 2014 is pictured above in Jackson Square in Oak Ridge. (File photo by Ray Smith) The Lavender Festival will not be held again this year, organizers announced Sunday after … [Read More...]

UT-Battelle Development Corp. contributes $500,000 for proposed airport

Pictured above is Jeff Smith, president of UT-Battelle Development Corporation and vice chair of the Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge) The City of Oak Ridge said it has … [Read More...]

More Business

More Community News

ASAP has Virtual Information and Resource Fair

ASAP of Anderson will have a Virtual Information and Resource Fair this evening (Tuesday, April 13). The event is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. at Facebook.com/ASAPofAnderson. It will feature a panel of community … [Read More...]

Man wanted in Ohio hides in Oak Ridge church, but K-9 finds him

Casey J. Jones A man who was wanted by law enforcement officers in Ohio fled and hid in an Oak Ridge church after a traffic stop Sunday morning, but an Anderson County K-9 unit found him hiding in a bathroom closet … [Read More...]

first-united-methodist-church-of-oak-ridge-jan-2017

Man pursued by police runs into church, taken into custody

A man pursued by police ran into First United Methodist Church between services in Oak Ridge on Sunday morning, canceling services, according to witnesses and the church. The man was later caught, and no one was injured, … [Read More...]

First Presbyterian Church of Oak Ridge

First Presbyterian offers free meals, groceries Thursday

First Presbyterian Church will provide a free meal and bag of groceries to food-insecure guests who drive by the church between 5:30 and 6 p.m. on Thursday, April 8. The church’s monthly Welcome Table community meal … [Read More...]

Political redistricting to be discussed at Lunch with League

Debby Gould Political redistricting will be discussed at Lunch with the League in Oak Ridge on Tuesday, April 20. The virtual meeting is scheduled to start at noon April 20. It is hosted by the League of Women … [Read More...]

More Community

Recent Posts

  • One person flown to hospital, in critical condition after rollover crash
  • ASAP has Virtual Information and Resource Fair
  • Man wanted in Ohio hides in Oak Ridge church, but K-9 finds him
  • Governor authorizes $10,000 reward in Thomas Thrasher death investigation
  • Man pursued by police runs into church, taken into custody
  • Public notice: Draft environmental assessment for Y-12 Development Organization at Horizon Center
  • Public Notice: Final environmental assessment available for Lithium Processing Facility at Y-12
  • THP report: Child hit by pickup walked into travel lane
  • First Presbyterian offers free meals, groceries Thursday
  • Girl hit by vehicle on Edgemoor Road

Search Oak Ridge Today

About Us

About Oak Ridge Today
What We Cover

How To

Advertise
Subscribe

Contact Us

Contact Oak Ridge Today

Copyright © 2021 Oak Ridge Today