What’s new at the Red Stick Farmers Market: Seasonal produce, cooking demos and the return of the Tuesday market
Shop in-season bounties at weekly markets around town 🥬🍅
Fresh food fans have plenty to sink their teeth into right now with cool- and warm-weather crops overlapping in what growers call a “shoulder season.” The generous bounty—and the buzz over what’s coming soon—makes it a good time to check out the Red Stick Farmers Market.
“This is the time of year when all the spring and summer harvest starts coming in,” says Darlene Adams Rowland, executive director of market organizer BREADA. “Every week leading up to May and June, there will be something new.”
The abundance of produce has also triggered the annual reopening of the seasonal weekday markets held at the Main Library and the ExxonMobil YMCA. Meanwhile, on Saturdays, the adjacent Main Street Market hosts cooking demos in a newly renovated teaching kitchen. Shoppers learn new ways to prepare the seasonal fruits and veggies they purchase outside.
With nearly 30 years in business, the Red Stick Farmers Market has a loyal following, but it remains undiscovered by scores of regional residents. Here’s how to make the most of it.
What’s in season now
Cool crops like fennel, celery, leeks, cauliflower and broccoli are still in season along with springtime strawberries, which are usually available through Mother’s Day. As we move further into May, look for summer squash, green beans and early corn, tomatoes, blueberries and melons, which will continue into June.
Beyond fresh fruits and vegetables, the market sells cow and goat dairy products, grass-fed beef and pastured pork and poultry, Gulf seafood, sourdough breads, pickles, jams and preserves, prepared foods, native plants and fresh flowers.
Cooking lessons
BREADA’s longstanding “Fresh from the Market” cooking demo features local chefs preparing dishes with seasonal ingredients. In February, the Saturday-morning series moved into the new community teaching kitchen at the south end of the now-upgraded Main Street Market. It’s possible to watch the demo broadcast over televisions both inside the kitchen and at the opposite end of the market, which offers ample seating. Catch it at 10 am.
Where to shop if you can’t make Saturday
The Red Stick Farmers Market’s flagship Saturday gathering is its biggest event, but it’s not the only chance to buy local produce and goods from its vendors. BREADA operates three weekday markets and recently opened a kiosk in the Main Street Market stocked with market items.
Tuesdays: Main Library at Goodwood
3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Open mid-spring to mid-summer, the Tuesday event is BREADA’s only afternoon market. It resumed on April 14 and usually hosts eight to 10 vendors, including producer growers Double Portion Farms and Frank Fekete Farms, and Maru Bread Co., a popular cottage baker.
“It’s a great location because it sits among so many zip codes,” Rowland says. “We also have lots of kids and families because of the library.”
Wednesdays: ExxonMobil YMCA
9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
BREADA operates a produce tent on behalf of participating farmers at this smaller seasonal market, which also hosts plant vendor Cactus & Succulents and Bayou Courtableu Vintage Baker.
Thursdays: Pennington Biomedical Research Center
8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
The largest of the weekday markets, the Thursday gathering features around 23 regular vendors, including Anna Marie Shrimp, Cutrer’s Meat Market, Morrow Farms, Frank Fekete Farms and Southern Maids Dairy.
River and Roots Market, Main Street Market
Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The refreshed Main Street Market includes a fair-trade coffee shop operated by BREADA that sells curated market goods. The Farm Fresh Fridge holds eggs, dairy and produce, while shelves are stocked with stone-ground grits, preserves, honey and other items sold by market vendors.
For more information about the Red Stick Farmers Market, see breada.org.
