Earlier at 5:30 am, it hadn't seemed worth it, but now as I took one look around, I felt refreshed. Here were some of Bristol's most dedicated small farmers setting up their wares ready to welcome each person that arrived. They were smiling and joking, working together as if they had known each other and me for years. Farmers were helping farmers. Two great big guys helped my friend Jennifer get her small freezer of lamb out of her truck and over to our table. My neighbor Rick smiled and welcomed us newbies back. Farmer greeted farmer as they milled around setting up their tables and waited for the first customers to roll in.
For the next four and one half hours I spent one of the most relaxing and yet invigorating mornings of my week. Customers that had shopped with us for the past two weeks came back and were treated like long time friends and called by their first name. We heard stories from new customers and told a few of our own. Susan, the 
increbile Italian cook that had retired here in Bristol several years ago offered us family recipes (yum!) and an wonderful story of a baby rabbitt named Franklin that stowed away in her house for a month. Johna, a new vendor, arrived for her first week with the farmer's market with local range fed beef and I left with some of the most beautiful rib eyes I'd ever seen. Margaret, one of our customers, returned for the second week in a row and purchased local lamb from Mane View Farm. Marie, another customer, stood and talked at our booth for at least 20 minutes about how different food combinations help with digestion. Josie, one of the crafters that paints on fabric, made a custom fabric piece for our booth that featured — what else — sheep. Andy, one of the oldest customers and supporters of the Farmer's Market that has been attending since it opened, came by and introduced himself to us. It was a real honor to meet someone so dedicated to our area.
All in all, it was a wonderful morning. For those of you that haven't had the opportunity to come on down, give it a try.
The hours are Saturday from 7 am (yes, it's early but the best time for first choice of everything) to 11:30 am. Right now we have two local beef vendors ( both women farmers, by the way), two fresh local lamb vendors (also both women farmers, by the way), fresh beautiful farm eggs from Fern Valley Farm, a commercial vendor that supplies all kinds of fresh veggies, craft vendors, fresh bread vendor, several plant vendors, tomato plants, basil plants, fresh greens from a local farm, and much more to come as the season progresses.
All you part time farmers out there know that it's still a little early for those home-grown tomatoes and cucumbers but they are still represented by our commercial vendor, Rick, and will arrive soon from our other smaller farmers.
But don't wait. Enjoy the wonderful products that are represented now. (Fresh Rhubarb, anyone! I have an incredible strawberry rhubard recipe I'd be happy to share! Larry's favorite!)
Come out and help support your local small farmers and your local economy. The more we support each other the faster we will all recover. And there's nothing like fresh produce, plants, eggs, and meat. It's great to know how your food was produced and who is behind all that hard work. I mean, any group that can get up at 6 am to meet together and still have fun — well, they are my kind of people.
Join us! The Farmer's Market is located just off State Street. Come by and say hello at our booth! We promise a heartfelt "good morning" and we'll probably (definately ) try to sell you eggs and lamb! I might even share a story or two about our ten new Fern Valley Farm ducks that still reside in our bathtub...
Hope to see you soon,
Lynn
Fern Valley Farm
19310 Rollins Drive
Bristol, Virginia 24202 "Where we are thankful for all kinds of animals — large and small."
© 2010 State Street Farmers Market, funded through a grant offered by the Tennessee Agricultural Enhancement Program in agreement with the Tennessee Department of Agriculture.
