If you do not agree that one of the best things about summer is a tomato sandwich on white bread with mayonnaise, then you need to have your Southerner passport revoked.

This simple, fresh delicacy is among the highlights of a Southern menu, complete with a pan of cornbread, greens and a tall glass of sweet tea.

Unfortunately, the summer tomato season does not last year round, and the green tomatoes ripened in warehouses just do not wrangle the taste buds as a tomato picked fresh from the garden, or purchased at the Farmers’ Market.

Just like the tomatoes it features, the market itself is a seasonal treat in Vicksburg. Each Saturday through the summer, farmers, artisans and vendors converge on downtown Vicksburg to sell their produce and products. Each week, there are fresh fruits and vegetables, baked goods, jams, jellies, canned items and more.

Sadly though, that season is coming to an end, as the final Farmers’ Market of the summer will be Saturday, July 29.

As we have said before, we truly appreciate the vendors who have come each week to the delight of those going to the market. We appreciate the time they spent raising the produce, creating their treats and enduring hot Saturday mornings in Vicksburg to bring those items to market.

We also want to thank officials with Vicksburg Main Street for continuing to organize this late spring and summer treat for local residents.

This is also a time for us to encourage additional investment in the Farmers’ Market to increase the number of vendors and attract far more visitors. Improvements to the location that houses the market is needed to provide a more suitable setting for the market, which could also go a long way in adding to the length of the market season.

Downtown Vicksburg has plenty of things going on throughout the year, but to us, summer seems a little sweeter with the bounty brought each week to the market.