In celebration of Earth Week, the Elon Famers Market reopened at 3:30 p.m. Thursday. The weekly market will now be held every Thursday until October on the Elon Community Church front lawn.
With most sellers and buyers purchasing fruits, vegetables and organic plants, the idea of a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle was evident. Because of the added hype of the first market opening of the spring, many vendors were excited to see a good showing.
“I like participating in the farmers market because it helps me and other people get away from preservatives, “ said Mary Tyre, a farmer who is participating in the farmers market for her second season. “But I like making a lot of money too.”
The family-friendly environment fostered interactivity between sellers and buyers and made for a successful evening for several vendors.
Monica Nicholson, a farmer who is in her fifth season with the Elon Farmers Market, brought her young daughter to the event to sell teddy bears.
Nancy Joyner, who assists her husband Clay Smith in operating Redbud Farm, said her favorite part of the afternoon was catching up with familiar faces.
“This is why I love coming,” Joyner said as she hugged one of her friends who she had not seen since last year. “Seeing all of these nice people really warms my heart.”
Joyner said she did well in her opening day as she sold out her products — most of which were certified organic vegetables and herbs. She said she particularly enjoyed interacting with the college students who came into her tent and started conversing with her. She is hopeful she can continue educating people about the importance of buying healthy local food.
“My main goals are to [promote] eating local fresh produce, which then helps our economy,” Joyner said. “Getting to know your farmer through this can go a long way. There is a difference between eating locally-grown food and eating at Food Lion.”