Although northeast Mississippians have been tending backyard gardens for years, many are just beginning to sell their produce.
Following the examples of Columbus and Starkville, the City of West Point began its own farmers” market on the first weekend in June, and four weeks later, it”s off to a booming start. There were 12 vendors Saturday, nearly double the number of people who showed up on the inaugural day. A total of 28 vendors have signed up to become regular sellers at the market, which lasts from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. each Saturday.
The offering is eclectic: sweet corn, salsa, watermelon, cantaloupe, cucumbers, squash and beans. There are homemade treats such as cookies, pies, cakes and ice cream. Not to mention the barbecue vendors who cook their meat on the spot.
“Supposedly the week after next is going to be our biggest yet,” said Justin Estes, the city”s 23-year-old public relations manager who organized the market after residents asked for a place to sell their goods.
Across the U.S. the idea of paying special attention to local food is a novelty, but one that is quickly transitioning from fad to fixture. The “foodie” movement, as it”s called, is picking up steam thanks to the support it”s getting from mainstream media and food-centric websites and blogs.
Michael Pollan, a food writer for the New York Times and the author of the 2009 book “In Defense of Food,” has pushed for an upheaval of the culture of instant meals.
“Most of what we”re consuming today is not food, and how we”re consuming it — in the car, in front of the TV, and increasingly alone — is not really eating,” he wrote in an advertisement for his book.
Food, Inc., a no-holds-barred documentary, takes aim at the U.S. food industry and methodically exposes both ethical and health problems that are the result of powerful corporations controlling the conversation and the market.
For northeast Mississippians, however, buying locally grown food isn”t anything new. It”s just part of life.
“It”s Mississippi,” Estes said. “Every other house has its own garden. That”s definitely something special about this area.”
And it”s a better alternative to grocery stores, which often carry produce that has been chemically ripened and trucked in from all across the world.
“These people picked this stuff out of their gardens last night and this morning,” Estes said. “The baked goods have real ingredients, and a lot of these recipes have been handed down for generations.”
It is indeed a family affair. Georgia Walker”s relatives piled into the kitchen on Friday and spent all day baking sweets to be sold at the market. On Saturday, Walker sat under the canopy at her booth and proudly watched her 5-year-old grandson, Antonio, learn how to manage the cash box.
“When she goes to do something, she”s always got backup,” laughed Lamont Walker, Georgia”s son.
It”s also an opportunity for her grandchildren to pick up the traditions of the older generation.
“We”re learning Granny”s treats and secrets,” said Tierney Mills, Georgia”s granddaughter. “It”s family time.”
And Georgia”s does have secret methods.
“Just some T.L.C.,” she said. “That”s all it takes. It”s the cooks that make it good.”
Individual preparation is what differentiates vendors who are selling similar goods.
“It”s all different,” said Niya Hayes, who helped organize the market. “Everybody”s things don”t cook the same.”
For others, the new market at West Point is another outlet for business they”ve already established in other towns. Nutreen Gilliland said her husband, Russell, offloaded his tomatoes, squash, corn and cucumbers at the Columbus farmers” market almost immediately.
“It wasn”t 17 minutes before he sold out,” she said.
Gilliland, 77, is on the tail end of an old guard of produce vendors. She and Russell, 81, have managed their farm together in Hamilton, Ala., since they were married in 1955.
“We may not be able to do this next year,” she said. “Our age is catching up.”
In the four weeks the West Point farmers” market has been open, there are already repeat customers. Joe Fowler, who lives a couple of blocks away, stopped by to pick up a cantaloupe for $2.
“It”s sweet and tasty,” he said. “My granddad used to raise produce, and we”d sell every piece we had. People would rather have this than go to the chain stores.”
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