Vicksburg Farmers' Market finds vendors, customers excited about its return - The Vicksburg Post

Vicksburg Farmers’ Market finds vendors, customers excited about its return

Published 1:55 pm Thursday, June 11, 2020

In what might be among the only normal things to happen thus far in 2020, the Vicksburg Farmers’ Market has returned to downtown Vicksburg.

Last Saturday kicked off the beginning of what has become a Vicksburg staple, with vendors selling a variety of goods from fresh produce to jellies and jams.

“We had nine vendors last week,” Vicksburg Main Street executive director Kim Hopkins said of those who set up along the 1400 block of Washington Street.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the market was relocated from the Washington Street Park to the 1400 block of Washington Street, Hopkins said, to allow for better social distancing.

All of the vendors, last week, have previously participated in the Farmers’ Market and Hopkins said she looks for more to jump on board as restrictions and worries about the ongoing pandemic lessen.

The Boyd Family Farm, which has been a regular through the years at the Vicksburg Farmers’ Market, got a jump start in selling their produce and meat.

Hopkins said because concerns of the coronavirus delayed the market’s opening, and because the Boyd Family Farm had its produce come in early this year, they set up two weeks prior at The Watermark.

The Boyd Family Farm will continue to be at the Watermark, which is located at 1415 Washington St., and the other vendors will set up in front of the different businesses on the block.

“This worked really well last week. Everybody was able to social distance,” Hopkins said. “And there was some really nice shade along the block.”

With the latter part of the market’s hours coinciding with the opening of businesses along Washington Street, Hopkins said she thought setting up on Washington Street was also welcomed and beneficial to the downtown merchants.

“The merchants enjoyed it, and I think it gave some people that might not have known what was on that block, it gave them a chance to see what is on the block,” she said. “When people come to the farmer’s market they usually come and enjoy themselves and hang around.”

In addition to the fresh produce, jellies and jams, Hopkins said there are vendors selling flowers and plants, shrimp, honey and homemade baked goods.

“There are a whole bunch of goodies,” Hopkins said.

One of her personal favorites, she said, was the blueberries.

“I ate all of them before I even got home,” she said.

The Vicksburg Farmers’ Market is open every Saturday through July and runs from 8 to 11 a.m.

Anyone interested in becoming a vendor should call 601-634-4527.

About Terri Cowart Frazier

Terri Frazier was born in Cleveland. Shortly afterward, the family moved to Vicksburg. She is a part-time reporter at The Vicksburg Post and is the editor of the Vicksburg Living Magazine, which has been awarded First Place by the Mississippi Press Association. She has also been the recipient of a First Place award in the MPA’s Better Newspaper Contest’s editorial division for the “Best Feature Story.”

Terri graduated from Warren Central High School and Mississippi State University where she received a bachelor’s degree in communications with an emphasis in public relations.

Prior to coming to work at The Post a little more than 10 years ago, she did some freelancing at the Jackson Free Press. But for most of her life, she enjoyed being a full-time stay at home mom.

Terri is a member of the Crawford Street United Methodist Church. She is a lifetime member of the Vicksburg Junior Auxiliary and is a past member of the Sampler Antique Club and Town and Country Garden Club. She is married to Dr. Walter Frazier.

“From staying informed with local governmental issues to hearing the stories of its people, a hometown newspaper is vital to a community. I have felt privileged to be part of a dedicated team at The Post throughout my tenure and hope that with theirs and with local support, I will be able to continue to grow and hone in on my skills as I help share the stories in Vicksburg. When asked what I like most about my job, my answer is always ‘the people.’

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