Farmers market starts Saturday in Carson City

Summer’s here, which means Carson City’s Saturday farmers market is back in action.

The morning market held in the parking lot at Curry and 3rd streets opens June 4, from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday through Sept. 24.

This year there will be 40 vendors, including eight newcomers, offering food, produce, crafts, even Reiki chair massages and knife and scissor sharpening.

Nine Nevada farmers will be on hand, including for the first time Fruit First Sustainable Farms from Fallon, as well as five California farmers selling strawberries, raspberries and stone fruits.

Other Nevada vendors include Lattin Farms, Campie’s Lavender Farm, and Black Rock Bison. And non-profits including Muscle Powered, which runs a bike valet, Do Drop In, The Greenhouse Project, Empty Bowls, the SPCA and Jazz and Beyond have booths or tables.

Local musicians will be playing every week, starting with Hick’ry Switch, a four-member band featuring banjo, mandolin and Cajun accordion, on opening day.

The market is visited by about 1,500 people weekly and attendance is growing, said Linda Marrone, market manager.

And she doesn’t expect the downtown corridor project to put a damper on the event.

“You can come down 5th, Washington, Division, and on the weekend there is no construction,” said Marrone. “A lot of people walk or ride their bikes. We’ve had 50 bikes in valet.”

Soon the market hopes to expand onto the newly-constructed Bob McFadden Plaza on 3rd Street between Curry and Carson streets once it opens in July.

“Our market is completely full,” said Marrone, who hopes to place some artisan vendors there once she sees what the space can accommodate.

The market and Partnership Carson City encourage Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, recipients to shop the market.

And Retired Senior Volunteer Program Inc., or RSVP, has free coupons for low-income seniors through the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program.

Coupon booklets will be distributed at the Carson City Community Center, Bob Boldrick Theater Lobby, 851 E. William St., on June 10 from 9 a.m. until noon or until the coupons run out.

Each senior must qualify based on income and residency and receives a single book of 15 $2 coupons that can be used at the farmers market.

For more information on the senior program, contact RSVP at 687-4680.

For more information on the farmers market, visit www.carsonfarmersmarket.com.