Rutherford County Farmers Market Moves Permanently To Forest City

Mr. and Mrs. Don Hemphill like shopping for locally grown produce.

It happens on Saturday, April 26th! A new permanent home for the Rutherford County Farmers Market will be open and offer many varieties of home grown and home created goodies. It could be one of the better things which will draw and expose the entire landscape of Forest City to Rutherford County residents. The new facility is under the Cooperative Extension Service with Jan McGuinn in charge. The Town of Forest City is hosting the location at 172 Depot Street, just off Main Street (look for the signs). This is obviously a win-win situation for both!

Because of the permanency of the location, the market will be able to schedule and have a new meaning for products and offer some great special events. For example, special events will take place on the first and third Saturdays, April through October.

First Saturdays events will include pie contests with judging and samplings. The commodity focus will be strawberry pie in May with a pastry crust hot or cold. June will feature vegetables with the pie emphasis on vegetable quiche; July’s pie entries will be blueberries with any crust hot or cold; August will be peach month for pie or cobbler; September will be Beekeepers and Honey with the pie being featured, of course, pecan or a honey pear crisp. Finally, in October, it’s all about apples, apple pie or apple crisp. 

The third Saturdays will feature: May 17, Cooperative Extension Centennial featuring farm stories and photo exhibits; June 21, Market’s Founder’s Day - The Grand Opening of their new home; July 19, a pasta festival; August 16, the tractor show; September 20, crafts and visual arts; and October 18 a harvest celebration with pumpkins and gourds. 

Rutherford County’s new permanent Farmers Market intends to be a showcase of fruits, vegetables, crafts and “homemade goodies” displaying pride of the county heritage and where there is both educational and good things from the earth offered. For information on this great addition, call the events line at 828-247-4430 or the Farmers Market Manager, Jan McGuinn at 828-287-6080.

This new facility should become a major asset to Rutherford County and be a definite boost to Forest City, so, let’s all go to the market!