Buy Fresh, Buy Local

Mississippians take pride in their fruits and vegetables. The soil, the climate and hard-working farmers produce a bountiful mix of favorites that pack roadside stands and markets across the state.

June 3 marks the grand opening of the Mississippi Farmers’ Market, a central location where farmers and artists market their Mississippi-produced items. The brick and concrete block building sits on the corner of Jefferson and Mississippi Streets, with access from High Street, too. There’s plenty of parking, ceiling fans, restrooms, water fountains and an ATM.

When the market opened for business on Saturdays—only back in February—market manager Jake Hutchins told me that the few people whose greenhouses were spared by Hurricane Katrina sold tomatoes. As the months passed, more and more farmers got back on their feet and started bringing a larger variety. He went on to explain that consumer farm vegetables, in their raw vegetative state, are exempt from the 7 percent sales tax. On June 5, the market opens for business six days a week, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Not every stall will be occupied every single hour of operation; different farmers plan to come in at different times. Hutchins explained that this chance to buy directly from the producer will always be subject to early sell-out, meaning that once the fruits and vegetables are sold, folks like Lois and Frank Hunley from Terry, Don and Brenda Chisnell from Collins, Debbie Smith from Brookhaven and Billy Fontaine from Meridian head for home, where their work continues among the greens or squash or lettuce or peaches or whatever they’ve planted there on their own acreage.

Every day the Farmers’ Market Grill will be open for breakfast and lunch. “They’ll have carry-out, dine-in and daily specials,” using fresh vegetables and fruit in season, Hutchins explained.

On June 3, the 38-stall facility will be filled from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. with fruits, vegetables, pasture-raised chicken and pork, shiitake mushrooms, eggs, herbs, jams, jellies, bean sprouts, cut flowers and nursery plants from 28 farmers. Handmade products from Mississippi artists include stained glass, wind chimes and pottery. Since it’s a grand-opening celebration, there will be live music, popcorn, lemonade, ice cream, antique tractors, face painting, caricatures and prizes.

For some, the best draw after the fresh produce will be the efforts of four of Jackson’s premier chefs. Jay Schimmel from Schimmel’s, Patrick Kelly from Julep, Grady Griffin from Elixir and Dan Blumenthal from Bravo! will be on hand to demonstrate ways to prepare that fresh produce. Blumenthal told me he’s working with fresh Mississippi shiitake mushrooms. When I asked what he had planned for them, he mentioned port wine, duck breast and crostini. Being the creative guy that he is, I won’t hold him to it. Whatever he and the other three prepare will be worthy of the flavors and textures of the Mississippi-grown ingredients they’ll be cooking.

On a table behind Hutchins’ desk, I spied a stack of the colorful “Buy Fresh Buy Local” signs I had noticed hanging from display tables throughout the market. “We give those out for them to use,” Hutchins said. “We get them from the Mississippi Fruit and Vegetable Association. … The market’s mission is to bring the consumer and the farmer together, to promote Mississippi farmers. If we don’t promote them, we’re not going to have any left,” Hutchins said. The logo in the lower right-hand corner says it all: Make Mine Mississippi.

Previous Comments

I got to go there!

#84536 | Author: JSU | Date: Jun 1 2006

Way to go Spell. I have time during the day when I am AT WORK to go shop there. I’m also sure that the people who don’t live in Jackson and who WOULD HAVE stopped there after work will come back on Saturday just to buy snap beans and sweet potatos.

#84537 | Author: Kingfish | Date: Jun 5 2006