The flavorful taste of farm fresh produce will be availableevery week this summer beginning Friday at 7:30 a.m. in RailroadPark with the resumption of the Brookhaven Farmer’s Market.

“We will be setting up across from the (Brookhaven-LincolnCounty Chamber of Commerce) and move north as far as we need togo,” said Rebecca Bates, director of the county’s Mississippi StateCooperative Extension Service.

The market is open until 2 p.m. or the produce is sold out, shesaid.

The market is a grassroots project by local farmers to bringfarm-fresh produce directly to the consumer. Prices at the marketare equivalent to those found in grocery stores, Bates said, butthose at the market have an appeal grocery stores cannot match.

“You know at the market that it’s locally grown produce and it’sfresh from the farm,” Bates said. “The taste and quality will bebetter.”

This is the second year for the farmer’s market at RailroadPark. Last year was a success, she said. However, it was limitedbecause it didn’t open until mid-July, which was late in thegrowing season.

Between the earlier opening date and the creation of officersand a board to build a more organized market, Bates expects thisyear’s market to offer many more vendors and their wares. Inaddition, the creation of the board allowed for more expansiverecruiting efforts to be made to entice more vendors to themarket.

“I think we have more in the market with more diversity andbetter organization than we had last year,” she said.

Bates said the question most asked by consumers leading intoFriday’s opening has been the availability of ripe tomatoes.Although green tomatoes are likely, she said, it may be a bit earlyin the season for ripe tomatoes, especially since it’s been a cool,wet spring and there was an Easter frost to slow growth.

“If not this week, then maybe next week tomatoes should becoming in,” Bates said.

However, Bates said farmers have indicated a good variety ofother produce will be available. Snap beans, squash, cucumbers,potatoes, peppers and sweet corn are among produce expected to beon sale Friday.

Several vendors will also be on hand with fresh-baked goods frombreads to pies, cakes and cookies and at least one vendor will havehomemade honey.

The market has also been opened to vendors offering crafts of aunique nature that ties into the farmers’ theme, Bates said.

As an example, Bates pointed to a vendor that will sell homemadewashing detergent kits. The $5 recipe kits include grated soap,borax and washing detergent and can save consumers a significantamount when compared to commercial products.

“I just think that’s a nifty idea and it works well with whatwe’re trying to do with the farmer’s market,” Bates said.

The board has also worked with the Lincoln County MasterGardeners and others to provide two new features this year.

The Master Gardeners will have a table for demonstrations onceper month. However, they will not be at Friday’s opening. They willmake their debut June 19 in conjunction with Dairy Day to providedairy information, free chocolate milk and ice cream sandwiches anda dairy cook-off with cash prizes.

“We plan to do something unique every month and Dairy Day is theJune event,” Bates said.

Events in other months may include live music, guest chefs, orspecialists on farming or gardening topics.