By Staff
Produce purveyors ready to sell goods
By MIKE VOSS
Contributing Editor
Saturday Market officially returns to the Washington waterfront May 2.
Folks who can’t wait until then may get a taste of Saturday Market, organized by Downtown Washington on the Waterfront, this Saturday.
Shawn Harding with Southside Farms said his business will be at the waterfront Saturday morning with “strawberries, tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, onions — just about a whole salad.” Southside Farms also will offer fresh herbs and other products, Harding said.
The decision to open for a special preview Saturday “is strictly to accommodate people like Shawn who have covered areas — the growing beds covered with black plastic,” said Tom Miller, DWOW’s promotions chairman. “Shawn’s been picking strawberries for two weeks.”
Miller said he checked with other producers of items such as specialty vegetables and “our mushroom lady” and found out they have “a lot of stuff” ready for sale. Other growers have bedding plants available, he said.
So, Miller explained, DWOW decided to use this Saturday as a “sneak preview” for the official Saturday Market season.
Southside Farms has been participating in Saturday Market for about four years, Harding said.
Petals &Produce also returns to Saturday Market this year, where it has had a presence “since it started,” said Heather Van Staalduinen, whose family operates the business.
Petals &Produce plans to participate in this Saturday’s “sneak preview,” she said.
When it returns May 2, Saturday Market will continue each Saturday through Oct. 10.
Saturday Market begins at 8 a.m. and ends at noon. The Farmers Market component of Saturday Market will be held each Saturday during the season at the west end of Stewart Parkway near the dock attendant’s office.
Vendors who want to participate in Saturday Market should visit www.washingtononthewater.com and click on the “guidelines complete the application” link, or call the DWOW office at 252-946-3969.