The Grand Reopening of the Lake City Farmers? Market, a Certified SC Community based Farmers Market, will be held Thursday, April 5, 2012 at the fully-renovated National Bean Market, 111 Henry Street, Lake City, S.C. The Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony and Farm Bell Ringing at 2 p.m. will mark the beginning of the market season in the fully-restored, enclosed facility.
Hugh Weathers SC Commissioner of Agriculture will join Lake City Farmers? Market manager Phil Huber, Mayor Lovith Anderson, Senator Yancey McGill, Representative Lester Branham, Florence County Council Chairman K.G. ?Rusty? Smith, and other dignitaries at the reopening ceremony. Special guests will be Amanda McNulty and Tony Melton from SCETV?s ?Making It Grow.?
The expanded Lake City Farmers? Market will feature over 40 vendors offering items for sale including: conventionally- and organically-grown produce; plants and flowers; citrus plants; barbecue sauces, heritage pork, sausages, eggs, cane syrup, grass-fed beef, honey, herbs, and other specialty food items; handmade soap products; crafts; fresh seafood; baked goods; and much more.
The Lake City Farmers Market will not only feature locally grown produce and products, but it will also feature locally grown music from Blue Ridge Junction a regional bluegrass band of area performing artists.
There will be something for everyone at the renewed and revitalized Lake City Farmers? Market. The children?s activities will include a wooden cut-out of Mr. and Mrs. Farmer Jones, a scavenger hunt, balloons, and face painting. The Lake City Community Hospital will be on hand to offer FREE blood pressure screenings. And, visitors will have an opportunity to play Bargain Bingo from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. for gift cards from locally-grown supermarket retailer IGA. Chef Kathy Fridl of the local fly-in restaurant Foodscapes will take the overages of produce and products from the market and prepare ?What?s for dinner.? Horticulturalists from local Moore Botanical Farms, Ethan Kauffman and Madison Turnblad, will provide demonstrations on container gardening. There will be activities for everyone.
Commissioner Weathers said, ?Every spring and fall, the Lake City Farmers? Market becomes the center of community activities. Farmers and non-farmers have an opportunity to interact and consumers have convenient access to farm-fresh healthy produce and products at affordable prices. The Lake City Farmers? Market defines local ? locally grown produce, products, people, and places. It?s all about supporting the community.?
The Lake City Farmers? Market will be open for business on Thursdays from 2 p.m.-7 p.m.., April-June and September-October at the National Bean Market in Lake City.
USDA-APPROVED EBT (Electronic Benefits Transfer) will be accepted at the market and LakeTran hourly stops will be available for those who prefer to ride the bus to the market.
For more information about the Lake City Farmers Market, call Carlie Lynch,843-374-0138. For more information about the Community based Farmers Markets in South Carolina, contact Fred Broughton, 803-734-2210.
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