Wellness Day on July 14 features many local healthcare providers and offers free health screenings and activities for the community and vendors. Wellness Day takes place during the regular Farmers Market from 9am to 1pm. Community partners include Virginia Department of Health, Twin County Hospital, In Total Health, WIC, and more. Wellness Day began in 2015 in partnership with the Virginia Department of Health.
The Berry Festival will be held July 21 during the regular Farmers Market from 9am to 1pm. Thanks very much to River Ridge Organics for sponsoring the event again this year. They have sponsored Berry Day and donated their berries for our sorbet fundraiser since 2017! Our first Berry Festival was in 2013 and featured the Berry Pie contest. This year Berry Sorbet using River Ridge organic blue, black and raspberries will be available by the scoop or frozen pint as a fundraiser for the Market. It’s also time for the Berry Dessert contest. We changed it up this year-any dessert featuring berries is welcome. 1st place is $100! Please bring your entry to the Market by 10:00. Judging will begin at 10:30 am. Remaining desserts will be sold by the slice to benefit the Market. Just a heads up- the traditional pie contest will be an apple pie contest for the Apple Festival on September 22 this year.
The final event in July is the Take a break from the Interstate HWY 21 Yard sale. It’s the only day our vendors can sell things they didn’t grow, make or raise. Be sure to allow extra travel time! People take yard sales very seriously around here and this one stretches from Elkin to Wytheville.
The Independence Farmers Market is a proud member of VAFMA and is on the Virginia is for Farmers Market Lovers trail. The On-line and regular Friday Farmers Markets welcome Snap and EBT and offer up to a $30 match for SNAP purchases to buy fresh fruits and vegetables. This grant funding is provided by the Gus Schumaker Nutrition Incentive network. In addition, the Market welcomes WIC and Senior Farmers Market coupons. The IFM is a project of Grayson LandCare.
For more information, please contact Michelle Pridgen, Market Manager at [email protected] or 276-768-0597.