SALISBURY — After weeks of speculation and study from both vendors and city officials, the new location for the Salisbury Farmers Market has been finalized. The Salisbury Farmers Market will be located this summer at the former Wrenn House Restaurant parking lot located across the street from Rowan Public Library, at the corner of West Fisher and South Jackson streets. The opening day to start the market season will be Saturday, April 20 at 8 a.m.
Because of the new location, the market will be minus the green shade cloth and will be reconfigured. However, the market will have the same producers and vendors selling local produce and meat, flowers, baked goods and handmade crafts.
The Salisbury Farmers Market will continue to operate two days a week, Wednesdays and Saturdays from 8 a.m.-noon.
The opening market of the spring will feature an array of locally grown cool season crops such as lettuce, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, asparagus, Swiss chard, spinach and other leafy greens and leaf lettuce. Because of the cool spring, strawberries will be later than usual, arriving in late April or early May. Growers will provide bedding plants, which include vegetable transplants, herbs and flowering annuals. Baked goods, local meats and handmade crafts will also be a part of the 2013 Salisbury Farmers Market as in past markets.
Visiting local growers who actually grow produce and other items is one of the benefits of this market. Growers enjoy sharing their knowledge about their crops and are eager to impart information. Those who shop at the market should keep an open dialogue with vendors and growers to learn about future availability of produce and other crops. Growers welcome the input to help them determine future plantings. Many vendors have recipes and cooking tips along with their produce. Shopping early in the season and establishing a relationship with local growers is a great benefit for both vendor and shopper.
Harry Agner returns as the market manager, coordinating logistics of the market helping customers if necessary and enforcing market rules and guidelines.
Visit the official Salisbury Farmers Market website at www.salisburyfarmersmarket.com for more information about the market.

Darrell Blackwelder is the county extension director with horticulture responsibilities with the N.C. Cooperative Extension Service in Rowan County. Learn more about Cooperative Extension events and activities by calling 704-216-8970, Facebook or online at www.rowanextension.com