How about bread made by a baker who grinds her own wheat? Or
water bottles and soap containers crafted from recycled glass?
All this and more is coming to the Memphis Farmers Market,
which opens on Saturday, April 18th, behind Central Station at G.E.
Patterson and Front streets. The market is bigger and better than ever
with a dozen new vendors adding baked goods (cinnamon rolls from Ono
Bakery in Memphis); poultry (Sunflower Farms in Ripley); frozen Cajun
entrées (No Time To Cook in Oxford); fresh eggs (Donnell Century
Farm in Jackson), and, of course, plenty of produce.
“More of our growers are expanding their production during winter,
so we have wonderful produce right from the get-go,” says Maryanne
Lessley, market coordinator. “We have a grower in Dyersburg who starts
tomato plants in a green house with wood-burning stoves, so she has the
best little tomatoes in May.”
Expect cool-weather crops such as spinach, lettuce, and greens, plus
strawberries from Jones Orchard, a new spring crop for the growers in
Millington. Overall, about 70 different vendors will rotate through the
market during the spring and summer months, serving more than 50,000
shoppers.
The market will operate Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Free parking
is available adjacent to the train station.
The area’s other markets also are opening soon. The Farmers’
Market at the Botanic Garden starts Wednesday, April 29th,
operating from 2 to 6 p.m., and the market at Agricenter
International on Walnut Grove Road opens Friday, May 1st, operating
Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. On Saturdays, the
market opens 30 minutes earlier.
justin fox burks
Memphis Farmers Market
At the Botanic Garden, vendors have been ringing the phone off the
hook, says Jana Gilbertson, director of marketing and public
relations. Shoppers also have been checking on the market’s start-up
date. “People are realizing that buying produce in season is more
affordable, and it forces them to be creative with their menu
planning,” Gilbertson says.
New produce vendors will emphasize the market’s focus on food, but
hand-made items such as aprons, jewelry, and cards will be sold on
artisan days the second Wednesday of every month.
Memphis Farmers Market,
Farmers’ Market at the Garden,
Agricenter International Farmer’s Market, agricenter.org
Mid-towner Paul Gagliano hit on the idea for the Southern
Hot Wing Contest & Festival after a friend shared a flight to
Tucson with an executive from Tyson Foods.
“He found out that Memphis consumes more chicken wings than anyplace
in the country,” Gagliano recalls. “For some reason, that fact stuck
with me.”
Now in its seventh year, the hot-wing festival — one of a
handfull nationwide — has raised more than $25,000 for the Ronald
McDonald House. About 1,500 people and 30 cooking teams are expected at
this year’s event set for Saturday, April 18th, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
on South Main Street near Ernestine and Hazel’s. Admission is $3, and
the rain date is Sunday.
Festival-goers appreciate the music, food, and hot-wing competition,
Gagliano says. Team names also add to the festival’s appeal. “The team
names are crazy,” he says, laughing. “Wing Ding Along, Great Wings of
Fire, Wing Bling, and my favorite, Pluck You.”
Similar good times are happening Sunday, April 19th, at the
Porter-Leath Rajun Cajun Crawfish Festival on Wagner Place
between Union and Beale. Activities include food vendors, Cajun and
Zydeco music, games (a crawfish bob, toss, and race!), a gumbo-cooking
contest, and 500 pounds of free crawfish starting at noon.
Admission to the event is free, but ticket-holders ($50 each) get
lots of extras in the festival’s well-stocked VIP tent.
Southern Hot Wing Contest & Festival,
Rajun Cajun Crawfish Festival,
