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Washington Farmers Market Ripe for the Picking

by Glenn Fullington
09/18/2007

Locally grown, fresh off the vine produce is easy to find with a short trip to the Washington Farmers Market in Wilkes County.

The Washington Farmers Market is located in the heart of downtown Washington, Ga., at 111 N. Allison Street, and it's only a 45 minute drive from the Classic City.

Owner Bradley Barber opened the market in May 2006 and since then it has been open year-round on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. to always offer fresh produce. “It's really possible to grow year round here,” said local farmer and market vendor John Carter, further explaining that it takes “minimal frost protection” to do so because of Georgia's mild winters.

Carter is currently growing 25 different vegetables in their respective seasons on his three-acre farm in Tignall, Ga. However, he's planning to build a greenhouse so that he can grow tomatoes year round.

Carter explained that he grows all of his crops without chemicals and believes in keeping the plants natural and pesticide free. All-natural products are a common theme at the market, especially with local cattle rancher ‘Tink’ Wade, who has a big presence at Washington Farmers Market.

Tink’s Grass-Fed Beef is a local operation between Washington and Tignall that believes in all-natural methods of raising cattle. Their cattle never eat grain and are never injected with any hormones or supplements. Tink explained that her cattle are healthier and produce a much leaner, tastier cut of beef for the consumer because of their all-grass methodology. They sell at the market as well as through their website and also at Athens Locally Grown.

The current most popular crop at the farmers market must be sweet corn by far. Barber said that over this last season, 250 dozen ears of corn were sold out in 18 minutes. Carter said his tomatoes, beans and peas really draw people, “but not like the corn.”

Washington Farmers Market is always filled with some of the town’s more interesting people. Elaine ‘Miss Fanny’ Filipiak, is a local tour guide and Washington, Ga. history expert. Another vendor, Laura Sleighter, is a bed and breakfast entrepreneur, artist and pastry chef extraordinaire.

The atmosphere of the whole place is very down to earth. Vendors, passersby, regulars and even the mayor all converge on this one spot to share a love for locally-raised fresh food items. However, the market is not limited to farm items. On Thursday at 7 p.m. the farmers market is converted into a venue for live music.

Wrapped in the culturally progressive and historically rich city of Washington, this rural gem is still the type of town where everyone waves to each other. The self-sustaining character of the community is very inspiring. Nearly everything in the produce section at a grocery store can be grown locally and probably is - it's just a matter of the consumer finding it locally. And the Washington Farmers Market is a great place for that.

You can contact Bradley Barber via e-mail with questions about the Washington Farmers Market.

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