HARRISONBURG, Va.– By 8 a.m. Saturday morning on Sept. 6, dozens of local vendors gathered under the Turner Pavilion on South Liberty Street to prepare for another weekend at the Harrisonburg Farmers Market with fruit, vegetables and handmade goods.
“There was a good variety of goods and services available,” market attendee Emily Fields said. “Some of the vendors that stood out to me were the pickle stand and the White Oak Lavender’s stand.”
The pickle stand, run by Sunnyfield Farm, was covered with different types of pickles ranging from sweet bread and butter to everything bagel pickles. Attendees were welcomed to grab a free sample of their choice.
Behind Sunnyfield Farm, White Oak Lavender’s stand promoted their lavender body care line. Some of the goods found on their table were homemade soap, body lotion and dried lavender, which is known for its calming effect. A study published in the National Library of Medicine found that inhaling, ingesting and applying lavender to the skin reduces anxiety levels.
The Harrisonburg Farmers Market’s mission is to promote community well-being and environmental stewardship. The market was labeled a gold certified market for public engagement, meaning they have met all the requirements for education and public safety.
“It brings the people from the area together and they tend to contribute to a similar interest, so they can interact and learn from each other,” another attendee Amir Suboh said. Suboh said the reason he would like to visit the market again was because of the community setting.
People from all walks of life came to support the market on Saturday. Young children could be seen sitting with their parents, while older couples shopped together. Teenagers and young adults showed their support by running some of the stands.
As for environmental stewardship, the market was awarded the Virginia Green Travel Leader Award in 2017 for their efforts in composting.
“Throughout the market there were multiple compost bins that encouraged the reuse of organic materials. I think it’s good to promote that stuff because it can be used to grow more produce instead of just ending up in a trash bag,” Fields said.
The US Composting Council stated that composting has many environmental benefits such as reducing waste and combatting climate change. By composting, people remove biodegradable waste from landfills to use as natural fertilizer for new plant growth which reduces methane from entering the atmosphere. Can you reduce this to two sentences?
The market is free and open to the public year-round. For additional information regarding hours, vendors and more, visit https://www.harrisonburgfarmersmarket.com/.
