City to Celebrate Farmers Market Week

The Easley City Council passed a resolution on Monday to proclaim the week of Aug. 14-20 as Farmers Market Week.

The proclamation follows Gov. Nikki Haley's proclamation of the month of August as Farmers Market Month in the state of South Carolina, an extension of the National Farmers Market week from August 7-13.

"This is meant to bring awareness to our local farmers market to support local farming and buying local," said Easley Farmers Market Director Lisa Garrett.

"We are really proud of our farmers market, they've done a great job," Mayor Larry Bagwell said Monday night.

The resolution says "farmers markets offer consumers affordable, convenient, and healthful products sold directly from the farm in their freshest possible state, increasing consumer access to fresh fruits and vegetables and thus promoting child health and potentially reducing childhood obesity."

Garrett said support for the Easley Farmers Market has grown a lot in the three years the market has been in operation. The number of vendors coming to the market has also increased since the market's first year.

"We've really had some big crowds that I've been really pleased with," Garrett said. 

Garrett said increased advertising has helped raise awareness about the local foods and goods available each Saturday in Easley.

"The word is getting out more that there is a farmers market downtown and it's been really well received this year," Garrett said.

The proclamation will be signed by Bagwell this Saturday at the Easley Farmers Market, which is held in the parking lot at Easley City Hall.