Wiregrass Market at Tifton opening new season Saturday

TIFTON — From goat milk soap to free-range eggs, the Wiregrass Farmers Market will have a wide variety of items available from local farmers when it opens for its 2017 season at 9 a.m. Saturday behind the Country Store at the Georgia Museum of Agriculture and Historic Village at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College.

Visitors to the market for opening day also will receive a coupon redeemable at the Country Store for reduced admission to the annual Folklife Festival, which will be in full swing at the museum.

Founded in 2011 by a group of community volunteers committed to a local and sustainable lifestyle, the Wiregrass Farmers Market is unique in Tift County for its offerings of carefully curated clean, locally grown food, handmade natural crafts, close relationships between local farmers and customers, and a robust educational program.

For the 2017 season, customers can expect to find their favorite local farmers offering produce, cheese, cold-pressed non-GMO oils, grass-fed meats, and free-range eggs, all grown by the farmers who are selling them.

Artisanal baked goods made with whole wheat freshly ground by the vendor the night before the market’s opening will also be available. Other items include jams and jellies, handcrafted soaps and personal care items. Visitors will also find locally grown meats, fiber goods, items for the home, and jewelry, all hand-made by the vendors who sell them.

Market customers enjoy free nature-based children’s activities weekly, a community compost bin, a thriving demonstration garden, and frequent visits by farm animals. A market co-op offers customers monthly classes on everything from home canning to rain barrels to essential oils.

Seasonal events such as the Market Mixer and the annual Farm to Table dinner add to the shopping experience at the Wiregrass Farmers Market. Dates for these events will be announced later.

A new monthly feature this season will be a Taste of the Market table, which offers visitors a chance to sample various products offered by the farmers at their tables, and recipes and ideas to inspire the optimal use of all the goodies that visitors purchased that day.

There is no admission charge for the Wiregrass Farmers Market, which is located under the Pole Barn behind the Country Store at the Georgia Museum of Agriculture. Market goers can park in the Country Store lot on Whiddon Mill Road.

The 2017 season dates are April 8-Nov. 19, with a summer break for the months of August and September. A Holiday Market will be held in early December.

For information on the Wiregrass Farmers Market, interested local farmers can contact Market Manager Susan Schwartz at [email protected] or GMA Market Liaison Polly Huff at [email protected]. More market information can be found on the website, www.wiregrassmarket.org and on Facebook/wiregrassfarmersmarket.