Marietta Square Farmers Market offers fresh produce year-round

Skyler Heath, Marietta Daily Journal, Ga.
Updated ·2 min read

Jan. 21—MARIETTA — Cold weather and cloudy skies Saturday morning did not stop hundreds of people from gathering at the Marietta Square Farmers Market to purchase fresh fruits, veggies, kitchen staples and more.

The farmers market, located just off Mill Street, operates year-round and has an average of 54 vendors every Saturday.

From handcrafted spices and raw honey to homemade empanadas and fresh bread, farmers market customers can choose from a variety of fresh products that aren't offered at local supermarkets.

Many stopped at the Georgia Peach Truck booth, which offered a cornucopia of fresh apples and citrus fruits. Mirhi Sirmon, who was running the fruit stand Saturday morning, said she's been with the Atlanta-based company for over 10 years and enjoys coming to the market.

"I work a ton of different farmers markets in the area and this one is definitely my favorite," Sirmon said. "Everyone is just so friendly."

Sirmon said they only sell peaches in the summer but still offer seasonal fruits year-round. Sirmon added that the growing popularity of Georgia Peach Trucks has allowed for business to prosper even in the winter. And it seems celebrities are also fans of the fruit stand — Sirmon said she sold a bag of Pink Ladies apples last year to Alton Brown, a Marietta resident known for his culinary shows on Food Network and Netflix.

Customers also migrated to the assortment of flower and garden stands. Rebecca Ulsaker, owner of The Little Flower Garden, set up shop at the farmers market Saturday and sold tulips, anemones and narcissus. Ulsaker said her company, which is based in Carrolton, grows and sells fresh flowers year-round.

"Winter market has been slow, but now that we have fresh flowers, it's definitely picking up," Ulsaker said.

After selling out of her anemones earlier on in the morning, Ulsaker put her tulips on display. The flowers had vibrant hues of coral, magenta and orange, which attracted market goers.

Stephanie Coston, operations director at the Historic Marietta Branding Project, said the farmers market has been going on for about six years. Coston said she and her husband go to the market every Saturday morning.

"Business is great," Coston said. "There aren't many markets going on in the winter... and I think that's why this is so popular."

The Marietta Square Farmers Market is open 9 a.m. to noon every Saturday year-round at 41 Mill St. in Marietta. For more information, visit mariettasquarefarmersmarket.com.