Editorial: Farmers markets feature locally grown produce, unique items

Published 1:19 pm Sunday, June 4, 2017

Whether you want to buy locally grown produce, are looking to stretch your grocery budget a little farther or are searching for unique items, you’ll want to check out three farmers markets in Whitfield County.

The Downtown Dalton Farmers Market, which is sponsored by the Northwest Georgia Healthcare Partnership, sets up at the Dalton Green on the corner of Thornton and Waugh streets on Saturdays through Aug. 26. The market is open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The Downtown Dalton Farmers Market expands beginning this Tuesday when Tuesday afternoon markets kick off. The market opens at noon each Tuesday. It continues until later in the season.

Heading north, the Varnell Farmers Market is open Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. through Sept. 30 at 365 W. Varnell Main St. Vendors are asked to sell only produce they have grown themselves or crafts they have personally made. No yard sale items are allowed, and vendors may work off only one picnic table or vehicle.

In Dalton, the Northwest Georgia Healthcare Partnership has partnered with Wholesome Wave Georgia, a nonprofit that works to increase access to local, fresh food through Georgia Fresh for Less — a new name for a program that has already incentivized thousands of Georgians to spend $2 million on local produce since the program’s inception in 2009.

This year, the Downtown Dalton Farmers Market is one of 60 producer-only farmers markets and direct marketing farms throughout Georgia that sells produce to federal nutrition assistance beneficiaries who will receive twice the value for their benefits through Georgia Fresh for Less. That means the farmers market matches SNAP and EBT dollar for dollar, allowing people to double their buying power.

We encourage everyone to check out of our three farmers markets while they are still open during the summer.