SWAN QUARTER — Hyde County Farmers Market is off to a promising start, according to Anna Motteler, health educator at Hyde County Health Department.

The first market was held May 28 at the Swan Quarter Community Park, and although a couple of the vendors cancelled at the last minute, there were still six vendors there selling produce, eggs, honey, jewelry and wreaths, among others items, according to Motteler.

She said it was a big help to have other events going on in Swan Quarter that day, including a free PiYo class, MATTIE Arts Center classes and Swan Quarter Volunteer Fire Department’s lunch fundraiser.

“Swan Quarter was, believe it or not, extremely lively that day,” Motteler said with a laugh. “It’s nice to have that sense of community.”

Motteler said she was happy with the turnout, and many of the market’s visitors wandered over from the other events. Organizers hope to continue holding the events at the same time to increase foot traffic.

The next step for the farmers market, which will be open for its second Saturday on June 25, is to recruit more vendors. Motteler said organizers are hoping to have baked goods and seafood vendors participate, but there are food regulations to accommodate.

Vendors are charged a $10 annual fee, plus a $5 fee per market day.

According to Motteler, in a small community such as Hyde County, organizers rely on social media and word-of-mouth communication to get the word out to prospective vendors and visitors.

“I’m not sure that everybody who came really knew about it,” she said.

The Hyde County Farmers Market opens the last Saturday of every month and will tentatively run through November.

“I think it was a success, especially considering the fact that it was the very first market, as well as a holiday weekend,” Motteler said. “I was satisfied with the amount of people that came out.”

For more information or to sign up as a vendor, call 252-926-4381.