Opening Day at Lawrenceville Farmers' Market

The Lawrenceville Farmers' Market celebrated its opening day on Saturday, June 4 in a new location, the old police station on 20 South Clayton Street.

"This is a great location for us. We've got more space and better visibility from the street," said Market Manager Sonny McBride.

The market offers local, homegrown produce, grass-fed beef, free range poultry, dairy products, fresh eggs, baked goods, local handicrafts, natural pet treats, handmade soaps and lotions, jams, jellies, sauces, honey and more.

According to McBride, the market, now in its sixth year, has nearly 40 vendors. Ten of those are produce vendors.

"Ten produce vendors is a big deal. Most markets can't boast that," McBride said.

New to the market this year is the EBT program. Thousands of Georgia families use the EBT (Electronic Benefits Transfer) card as part of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly called Food Stamps). 

SNAP customers decide beforehand how much money they want to spend at the market and swipe their EBT card at the Lawrenceville Farmers' Market tent. They will be issued wooden tokens in that amount, and the tokens can be used to buy fresh, local foods from vendors at the market.

According to information from the Georgia Department of Human Resources, this new program increases the access to fresh and healthy foods for SNAP customers, while generating local business and contributing to the local economy.

The Lawrenceville Farmers' Market is open every Saturday through September 24 from 8 a.m. to noon. Visit the website or check it out the market's Facebook page for more information.