There were various types of fresh fruit and vegetables, a shadedstrip of grass and train tracks. Ah, yes. The sweet smells, sightsand sounds of the Brookhaven Farmers Market.

The summer season’s market kicked off Friday morning as thesun’s rays cascaded through the trees in Railroad Park and arearesidents picked through baskets of produce brought to the marketby the 13 vendors that set up shop along the train tracks.

“I love fresh vegetables, they are the healthiest thing you canbuy this time of the year,” said shopper Angie Warren, ofBrookhaven. “There’s nothing better than supporting local hometownfolks.”

The market offered honey, milk, peaches, okra, beans, figs,blueberries, sprouts, new potatoes, cakes, onions and cookies amongother various items.

While there were truckloads of all sorts of produce and fruit,the real question of the day was, who has the tomatoes?

“Everybody has been begging for tomatoes so they can go home andmake bacon and tomato sandwiches,” said Holly Moulder, of Holly’sFlowers, Fruits and Vegetables in Utica.

Vendors said that tomatoes sold out within 15 to 30 minutes ofthe market opening, which was at 7:30 a.m.

“Everybody wants a vine ripened tomato,” said Mississippi StateUniversity Lincoln County Extension Service Director RebeccaBates.

The secret to the tastiness of the tomato is in the vine,according to James Richmond of Richmond Farm.

“The longer you leave it the better your flavor is going to be,”he said. “It really takes the sunshine to develop the flavors inthe fruit.”

Richmond said store tomatoes have to be picked sooner to escapebruising and to allow ample time needed for shipping.

“The ones you get out of the store are like cardboard,” saidDorothy Moak, of D & D Farms Delton.

Those that may have felt juiced by the tomato will have severalopportunities to land the fruit.

For the first time in the Brookhaven Farmers Market’s four-yearhistory, the market will be open twice a week. After the Fridaymarket, vendors will pull their produce back out on Tuesday inRailroad Park beginning at 3 p.m.

“For a grower, this twice a week thing is really what you needso you can bring out fresh vegetables and have an outlet to sellthem regularly,” said Moulder.

Not only does the twice a week market allow vendors anotheropportunity to sell their produce, it also gives those who are busyFriday mornings another chance to enjoy downtown and pick somethingfresh.

“We’ve had many customers come through saying that they’re veryglad we’re having a Tuesday market, that it’s very difficult to gethere on Friday for an early market,” said Bates.

The Brookhaven Farmers Market will continue until produce runsout, which was late August last summer. However, the lack of rainrecently could shower on the produce parade.

Nonetheless, the market is off to a bright start.

“We plan to be here Tuesday,” said Moulder. “Hopefully, withtomatoes.”