Suffolk News-Herald

Fresh, locally grown vegetables are just two weeks away.

The Suffolk Farmers Market, initially scheduled to open earlier this month, will make its debut on July 3, said Lynette Brugeman, the city’s tourism director. The market will be open from 9 a.m. to noon every Saturday, July through September, in the parking lot across from the Suffolk Seaboard Train Station on North Main Street.

The decision to delay the market’s opening came at the request of vendors, Brugeman said.

&uot;Because everything has to be produced within 100 miles of Suffolk and the growing season here, they were concerned there wouldn’t be a lot of things available so early in June,&uot; she said. &uot;They asked to wait because there would be a wide variety of produce available by the end of this month.&uot;

Besides the usual fruits and vegetables, shoppers are apt to find nuts, eggs, plants, cheeses, meats, poultry, seafood, and cut flowers, Brugeman said. Vendors are also allowed to sell some locally processed foods, such as honey and home-canned jams.

There’s still space for regional growers interested in selling their products at the market, she said. A seasonal rate of $45 will be charged, all of which will be used for promotional materials.

Brugeman is confident the market will be a hit among citizens and farmers alike.

&uot;Farmers’ markets are a great method to enhance economic development, increase tourism, and provide for downtown and neighborhood revitalization,&uot; she said.

Farmers markets are becoming increasing popular, she added. According to U.S. Department of Agriculture, there were more than 3,100 farmers’ markets operating nationwide in 2002, up nearly 80 percent from 1994.

For more information about the Suffolk Farmers Market, call Brugeman at 923-3880.