Browsing a farmers’ market, taking in the beautiful colors and fragrances, talking to the growers, and listening to them share their passion for their goods and produce is one of the simplest and most soul-nourishing ways to spend a morning. Here in Knoxville, we have multiple opportunities to do this, thanks to a woman with a vision that began 20 years ago.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Market Square Farmer’s Market (MSFM). What began with 10 vendors has expanded to 100 and 3 city blocks. Growers and makers within a 150-mile radius of Knoxville come weekly to sell their wares on the square. Charlotte Tolley had a vision for what Knoxville could offer to its residents and farmers after spending time abroad and experiencing open-air farmer’s markets in London. She knew the history of farmers’ markets in Market Square and worked with the Market Square District Association to see its return. Over the last 20 years, MSFM has grown exponentially. They now host Wednesday and winter markets, have expanded to the New Harvest Farmers’ Market, and created a nonprofit organization.
I happened upon the Market Square Farmers’ Market by accident one Saturday afternoon in 2018 before my husband and I moved to Knoxville. We were “trying out” Knoxville to see if it was a city we could live in. Once I saw Market Square and those beautiful booths of goodies, I was sold. (The yummy strawberry chicken and goat cheese salad from Not Watson’s, still my favorite, didn’t hurt Knoxville’s cause to bring us in, either.) It took another couple of years, but here we are, and the market is on my regular weekend rotation.
Not living downtown, I rely less heavily on the MSFM as a primary source of produce and goods. In talking with Charlotte, she tells me what she hears from downtown residents. It is part of the fabric of the downtown experience. Frequenting the market, you get to know your growers, makers, farmers, and creators. It’s not just about the food but the relationships you form and the trust you build with those individuals and their families. To a downtown resident, the market is a vital element to the joy and vibrance of urban life. You get to see the produce and hear from the grower. You can also shop for many other products that enhance the market and the local economy. What better way to spend a Wednesday or Saturday morning than “shopping in your backyard.” And it isn’t just the downtown residents that rely on the bi-weekly market. Downtown chefs shop for their restaurants to serve the local, fresh produce available each week. It is truly farm-to-table.
Hand-made goods of all shapes, sizes, and mediums are found at the market in addition to produce. My personal favorite is pottery. Long ago, I began a collection of pottery coffee and tea mugs. While I have far more than a reasonable human should have, each one tells a story, which makes my coffee taste even better. That is a part of what makes a farmers’ market so unique. Soaps, lotions, tinctures, knitted items, sleek wooden pieces crafted by hand, flowers, locally roasted coffee beans, teas, honey, stunning paintings and photography, sweets, and baked goods, gorgeous jewelry, fresh eggs, responsibly raised meats, and more can all be found any given Saturday morning from 9-1 or Wednesday morning from 10-1.
Nourish Knoxville, established in 2013 as a 501c3, was born out of the dissolution of the Market Sq. Business District. It had served its purpose of bringing businesses and residents downtown, and now it was time to pass the baton. Becoming a nonprofit organization allowed them to apply for local and federal grants. It allowed Charlotte to focus her energy full-time on the work. Nourish Knoxville and the Market Square Farmers Market became the first market of its kind to accept SNAP food benefits. This program has grown to include the Double Up Food Bucks program, which allows anyone exchanging EBT funds for produce tokens to double that up to $20 more. They also have a Nourish Kids program each 2nd Saturday allowing kids 2-12 to sample produce and get $5 in tokens to shop in the market. My younger two girls have loved this, especially during strawberry, blueberry, and peach seasons! You can also participate in the Nourish Moves program on Wednesdays. Nourish Community purchases produce and eggs to donate to organizations serving communities in need.
This year, they partnered with the City of Knoxville to be a composting drop-off site at the Compost Info Table on Saturdays. You can take your food waste (produce, coffee grounds/paper filters, egg, and nut shells) to be composted and reused in local gardens.
To celebrate the 20th anniversary, the Downtown Knoxville Alliance had some fun tributes lasting through May. The beautiful mailbox located in Market Square, painted by the talented Paris Woodhull, has been accepting fan mail for the market all month. Get your letter in by May 31. If you miss it or want to submit it electronically, click HERE. Tori Mason and Bliss has a window display tribute to the market. Tomato Head Downtown has portraits of the market through the years that will move to Tomato Head West in June.
An opportunity open to everyone is a “Storied Supper” on June 7 to be held at Marbry-Hazen House Museum, throwing back to the original beginnings of the farmers market dating back to the 1850s with William Swan and Joseph Mabry. From the website:
“Join us on June 7 at the picturesque hilltop of the Mabry-Hazen House Museum and savor a delectable meal prepared by renowned local chef Jeffrey Dealejandro of OliBea featuring mouth-watering appetizers and a family-style dinner that showcase the unique flavors of East Tennessee. As you enjoy your meal, immerse yourself in the stories of Market Square’s past and the crucial role played by Evelyn Hazen in preserving our beloved market space, as shared by Jack Neely of Knoxville History Project and Patrick Hollis of the Mabry-Hazen House Museum. Learn about the two vendors who have been with the MSFM since the very beginning, some behind-the-scenes memories from Nourish Knoxville CEO Charlotte Tolley, and so much more. A special thank you to MSFM vendor Rainbow Roots for providing centerpieces for this event.”
If you would like to attend or support this event, click HERE.
There are lots of other ways to support the farmers’ market. The first way is obvious, and that is to shop there! You can volunteer your time and smile, and you can become a sponsor, and you can spread the word.
Here’s to 20 more years of growth and fresh, local produce and goodies.
