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| Fresh Peppers at the Market Square Farmers’ Market |
It’s getting late in the year and some time has passed since I’ve mentioned the Market Square Farmers’ Market. At the beginning of the season I mentioned the festive atmosphere and the fact that the market is so much more than just vegetables and crafts. That vibe has endured throughout the hot Knoxville summer. Most weeks feature more than one musical artist or band, one of which is usually the Old City Buskers, but I’ve heard saxophonists, fiddle players, drummers and even the odd bagpipe. Fresh, locally grown, flowers have always been a part of the market, but this year they’ve risen to prominence.
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| Young fiddle player/Scooter rider, Market Square Farmers’ Market |
There is also a good quantity of food ready for consumption on the spot. Rick offers fresh breads and pastries. Others offer baked goods of various sorts. I bought apple cider for Urban Toddler last week. Cruise Farms offers ice cream and milk while Java steams coffee while you wait. Fresh squeezed lemonade and Mexican cokes are sold outside Steamboats. Of course, many of the fruits and vegetables can be consumed on the spot if you are so inclined. Urban Toddler ate about 2/3 of our pound of blue berries before we got back to the house.
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| Fresh greens, flowers and more, Market Square Farmers’ Market, Knoxville |
As much as anything, I’ve enjoyed the slow-paced camaraderie of the market. Familiar faces, if not names, in every direction and trusted vendors who become conversational friends over the weeks. People watching is excellent. I particularly enjoy getting a cup of coffee or a coke and sitting outside Preservation Pub to watch the display of humanity flow past, not to mention canines, and there are plenty of those. It’s just about as satisfying a way to spend a Saturday morning as I can imagine. It certainly beats cutting the grass, which is what I would have been doing before I moved into the city.
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| A little bluegrass with your food, Market Square Farmers’ Market, Knoxville |
As the Market winds down each year Urban Woman and I mourn the passing of our favorite vegetables. This year’s favorites have been the okra and peas. They are almost gone. I noticed that the corn was missing this last weekend. Goodbye, old friend. There is still plenty of lettuce along with tomatoes, peaches and a growing number of pumpkins.
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| Vegetables at the Market Square Farmers’ Market, Knoxville |
Come get the great food while you can. It’s all grown fresh in east Tennessee just for your table. The market will go until November or so, but the vegetables won’t make it that long. I’m told the days of okra and peas are numbered. Why not come down this Saturday between 9:00 and 2:00 and see what it’s all about. You’ll be glad you did, but you have to come early if you want the best vegetables – I’ll beat you to them, otherwise.