Trae Moore has worked on a local farm for several years, witnessing the benefits of growing and eating his own food. Along with other local farmers, he is attempting to create a movement of not only food sustainability, but also an opportunity for Chattanoogans to support the local farming community. Moore, along with a crew of local farmers, has started a weekly market on Main Street every Wednesday from 4 to 6 p.m. Last week, the market had its grand opening with 150 people in attendance.
“This market is much different than the Sunday markets at the Pavilion. Farmers need Sundays off and are [at] many times, unavailable to be present. Our Wednesday market is made up of only farmers, and managed by farmers ,” Moore said.
However, this is not the first go around for these farmers to attempt to pull off a grocery store style market with the hopes of initiating change in the community. The same farmers held a farmer’s market in 2008 on the North Shore, but the response was not favorable. Moore said that marketing efforts for that effort were not as well executed as he had hoped they would be. But for the Main Street market, there is a whole new game plan in place.
The farmers market will be held each Wednesday on Main Street across from Hiroshi’s in the abandoned parking lot from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Local grown fruits and vegetables are available as well as meat. Cheese will be available in the upcoming weeks.
“Our mission is to supply local farms with market access to consumers and to provide Chattanooga with a fresh variety of food. Organic is ‘last year’ and has become a bit mixed up. What we’re doing is about supporting the local farmers,” Moore said. Moore stressed the importance of the farmers being able to stress the land in our region by farming on it, which in return, adds stability to culture and the city.
Local farms participating in the Main Street Farmers Market:
- Alexzanna Farms Crabtree Farms
- Clover Wreath Farm Dancing Fern Nursery
- Signal Mountain Farm Ire Hilltop Farm
- Niedlovs Breadworks
- River Ridge Farm
- Sale Creek Honey
- Sequatchie Cove Farm
- Williams Island Farm
James on June 27, 2009
I love the Main St. Farmers Market. And since it's during the work week makes it easy to stop by on the way home after work.