Norris Farmers Market to open May 7
Chris West, owner of WesJac Farm on Mountain Road in Anderson County, sells some fresh beef to Mindy Wells, coordinator of the Norris Farmers Market, on the opening day of last year’s market on Norris Square. With Wells are daughters Laine and Emery. (photo:G. Chambers Williams III )
Although the Clinton farmers market has been discontinued and will not open this year, the Norris market will operate on the same day and hours each week – 3 to 6 p.m. – in the same spot as in previous years, on Norris Square, in front of Norris Middle School.
Norris Farmers Market coordinator Mindy Wells said there won’t be much produce available when the market opens in early May, but there will be plenty of items for sale, even on opening day.
“We’re expecting to see a couple of meat vendors from last year, and there will be flowers, some sourdough vendors, homemade baked goods, jams, jellies, crafts, jewelry, and even eggs,” she said.
“If people consider shopping local, there is affordable meat and eggs available,” Wells said. “Things you can source locally are abundant. We have 18 chickens on our farm, and we always have too many eggs. We plan on bringing baked goods and eggs, and blueberries when they’re in season.
“I’m also curious to see how the absence of the Clinton market will affect us,” she said.
“We’re also selling Norris Farmers Market T-shirts to pay for new signs for the market. We’re down to two now. The shirts are $20 each, and all the money goes right back into the market.”
Because the Norris operation is an open market and does not require registration, Wells said she doesn’t know how many vendors will be on hand to start, but she does believe most of last year’s participants will return.
“The rule is that all vendors must create, make, or grow what they sell,” she said. “No reselling is allowed. This is a traditional farmers’ market. Crafts are always welcome as long as they are made by the vendors.
“But no multilevel marketing products are allowed, and this is not a flea market,” Wells said. “It’s a very loose market, and it always starts out slowly.
“Unlike most of the others around the area, this is a free market,” Wells said. “There are no fees and no reserved spaces.”
But the city doesn’t want anyone reselling anything, she said. “It’s basically farm to consumer, with no middleman involved.”
