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Indoor Winter Farmers’ Market opens Saturday

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Farmer Tracy Monday of Enlightenment Acres is pictured at Winter Farmers Market in Oak Ridge in 2018. (Submitted photo)

More than 30 farmers, bakers, and artisan crafters are moving indoors Saturday, December 4, for the sixth season of the Winter Farmers’ Market, which will be open Saturdays through March from 9 a.m. to noon.

The market is located in the gym at St. Mary’s School at 323 Vermont Avenue in Oak Ridge. Customers may shop in person or choose curbside pickup or home delivery through the Market-To-Go program.

“The Winter Farmers’ Market brings local food and local folks together in a unique and fun way, with great food, live music, cooking demonstrations, free kids’ activities, artisan crafts, and more, indoors all winter,” said Rebecca Williams, director of Grow Oak Ridge, the local nonprofit that produces the market.

“We have two ways to shop again this year: in-person and online through Market-To-Go.”

The market offers an abundance of locally grown cool season produce like kale, spinach, lettuce, and gourmet mushrooms, and even some winter strawberries and tomatoes, a press release said. It also carries free-range eggs, pasture-raised meats, tilapia, local honey, artisan breads, pastries, unique handmade bath and body products, and handmade gifts from local artisans.

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New online farmers’ market in Jackson Square, with curbside pickup

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Market-To-Go, a new online farmers’ market in Oak Ridge, is now located in Jackson Square, with weekly curbside pickup at Dean’s Restaurant, across from the in-person farmers’ market. Local grass-fed beef, fresh and local produce, gourmet mushrooms, honey, and even edible pansies are just a few of the products featured in Market-To-Go. (Photo courtesy Grow Oak Ridge)

Market-To-Go, a new online farmers’ market in Oak Ridge, is now located in Jackson Square, with weekly curbside pickup at Dean’s Restaurant, across from the in-person farmers’ market. Local grass-fed beef, fresh and local produce, gourmet mushrooms, honey, and even edible pansies are just a few of the products featured in Market-To-Go, a press release said.

“We hope to attract new customers to try and love locally grown foods, people who may not have time to shop at a traditional farmers’ market,” said Rebecca Williams, director of Grow Oak Ridge, the nonprofit organization that produces Market-To-Go.

“Customers can also reserve local products ahead of time, or may enjoy the convenience of seeing all the products laid out in one easy platform,” said Williams. “Plus, Market-To-Go is an important source of income for our local farmers. Our farmers asked us to continue this program for the summer.”

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Winter Farmers’ Market returns indoors, with a Market-To-Go curbside option

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Free-range eggs, radishes, and broccoli are just some of the products available all season at the Winter Farmers’ Market. (Photo courtesy Grow Oak Ridge)

The fifth season of the Winter Farmers’ Market begins indoors Saturday, December 5, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., and it is focused on safety during the COVID-19 pandemic, a press release said.

The market is open Saturdays through March (closed December 26), at St. Mary’s Catholic School at 323 Vermont Avenue in Oak Ridge.

All vendors and customers must wear masks, and vendors are spread apart for social distancing, the press release said.

New this year is a 100 percent touch-free curbside pickup program called Market-to-Go. Customers can shop farmers’ market products online during the week, and pick them up curbside on Saturday mornings, the press release said.

“We have been working all year to get ready for a safe, indoor market. Not many towns our size offer a Winter Farmers’ Market, much less one with more than 30 vendors and a convenient online store,” said Rebecca Williams, director of Grow Oak Ridge, the nonprofit organization that produces the market.

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Winter Farmers’ Market moves outside on Saturday

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The Winter Farmers’ Market will be open on Saturday, but it will be outside because of concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Winter Farmers’ Market is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, March 28. It will be outside the gymnasium at St. Mary’s School at 323 Vermont Avenue in Oak Ridge.

Vendors will be placed at least 10 feet apart, a press release said.

Customers who are seniors or immune-compromised may order ahead of time for curbside pickup, the press release said. Information on how to do that is listed on the market’s website at www.GrowOakRidge.org.

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Shiitake Mushroom Inoculation Station at Winter Farmers’ Market on Saturday

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New shiitake mushrooms sprout on an oak log in the back yard of Jason Schmidt, a local gardener. Schmidt will be leading a “Mushroom Inoculation Station” on Saturday, March 7, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Winter Farmers’ Market, in which participants will be making their own mushroom logs to take home. Spaces are sold out, but visitors to the market are encouraged to stop and watch the event. It will be held at the main entrance of the market, which is in the gym at St. Mary’s School at 323 Vermont Ave. in Oak Ridge. (Submitted photo)

The Winter Farmers’ Market will be conducting a “Mushroom Inoculation Station,” on Saturday, March 7, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. While spaces in the station are sold out, shoppers are encouraged to stop and watch the activity at the entrance to the farmers’ market in the gym of St. Mary’s School at 323 Vermont Avenue in Oak Ridge.

“Shiitake mushrooms grow on oak trees, so it’s no surprise that Oak Ridge is an excellent place for growing these and other types of mushrooms,” said Jason Schmidt, coordinator of the project. “We will be drilling holes in four-foot oak logs early in the morning, injecting them with shiitake spawn, and then sealing the holes with locally sourced bees wax. In about six months, the spawn should fruit and produce a harvest of shiitake mushrooms that will continue in a cycle for several years.”

The workshop is sponsored by Davenport Tree Service, which provided a freshly cut oak tree for the event.

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Winter Farmers’ Market opens Saturday

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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.

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Winter Farmers’ Market opens Saturday

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There are more than 30 vendors each week at the Winter Farmers' Market at St. Mary's School gym in Oak Ridge. (Photo courtesy Winter Farmers' Market)

There are more than 30 vendors each week at the Winter Farmers’ Market at St. Mary’s School gym in Oak Ridge. (Photo courtesy Winter Farmers’ Market)

 

Anderson County’s largest market accepts SNAP, offers educational programs for children and adults

The Winter Farmers’ Market by Grow Oak Ridge opens for its third season on Saturday, December 1, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at 323 Vermont Avenue (St. Mary’s School gym) in Oak Ridge. It is open each Saturday, December through February, except for December 29.

Opening day features hourly door prizes and a free drawing for $20 in market tokens at noon, a press release said.

This is the largest farmers’ market in Anderson County, with 44 vendors on roll, and 35 most weeks in December, according to market director Rebecca Williams.

“The gym is filled and we have a waiting list in December, and even in January and February, we will have close to 30 local producer-vendors each week,” Williams said. “All of them must make, bake, or grow what they sell within 150 miles of Oak Ridge.

“Our farmers grow all year long, so you will see produce, pasture-raised beef, pork, and tilapia, local honey, free-range eggs, and fresh flowers and plants. Plus we have artisan food vendors bringing breads and pastries, jams and jellies. Food trucks will serve coffee, brunch, and lunch. And, our crafters offer unique handmade holiday gifts such as pottery, textiles, wood made items, bath and body products, and more.” [Read more…]

Winter Farmers Market opens for second season Saturday, bringing local foods indoors

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With greenhouses and hoop houses, local farmers are able to grow everything from kale to red, ripe tomatoes all winter long, and they will be for sale at the Winter Farmers Market in Oak Ridge, starting Dec. 2, 2017. (Photo courtesy Grow Oak Ridge LLC)

With greenhouses and hoop houses, local farmers are able to grow everything from kale to red, ripe tomatoes all winter long, and they will be for sale at the Winter Farmers Market in Oak Ridge, starting Dec. 2, 2017. (Photo courtesy Grow Oak Ridge LLC)

 

The Winter Farmers Market by Grow Oak Ridge LLC opens for its second season on Saturday, offering fresh, locally grown farm products indoors all winter to Oak Ridge. The market will open Saturday, December 2. It will be open the following Saturdays through February, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., in the gym at St. Mary’s School, which is at 323 Vermont Avenue in Oak Ridge. It is closed December 23 and December 30.

“You’ll see an even bigger selection of selection of locally grown produce this year, including red, ripe tomatoes,” said Rebecca Williams, market director. “Our growers are really stretching the season with their greenhouses and hoop houses. We have tremendous variety at the Winter Farmers Market this season.

“Plus, we’re really excited to be able to offer the regional ‘Fresh Savings Program’ this year,” Williams said. The program doubles a shopper’s SNAP (food stamp) benefits, up to $20 for fruits and vegetables.

On opening day, customers can enter a free drawing for 20 Market Dollars. The drawing is at noon, and you can also enter at www.GrowOakRidge.org. [Read more…]

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