The new weekly farmer's market in North Augusta has plans to extend its season and become an educational tool to residents.
The Brick Yard Market in Hammond's Ferry originally planned to shut its doors at the end of September, but the Hammond's Ferry Foundation decided to keep it going as long as possible.
Plans are to keep the market open through December, or longer if the interest remains high and products are available through the winter months.
Manuel Verney-Carron, owner of Manuel's Bread Cafe in Hammond's Ferry, took over the market in June and created a new market atmosphere.
The market originally was located in a vacant lot and moved in October to the sidewalk outside his restaurant and surrounding businesses in the town area of Hammond's Ferry.
He said the new location is working better for the market.
"It's almost a Saturday morning tradition," he said, of repeat customers who enjoy a coffee at the café and then browse vendors. "It's like a little European market and has a much better energy."
Crops are grown on site using organic methods at the Blue Clay Farm. New winter crops include broccoli. Verney-Carron said he will keep the market open as long as he has crops to sell and vendors to fill the space.
Food vendors are the ones who keep the crowd coming back each week, he said. He said it would be great to have people selling cheese, eggs and other fresh items.
Beginning this week, Blue Clay Farm will become a new entrance to Hammond's Ferry. A new paved road will lead into the neighborhood from the Brick Pond Park at Center Street, creating a road connecting to East Shoreline Drive and The River Golf Club.
Verney-Carron said they plan to step up the farm to make it a beautiful entrance into the Hammond's Ferry community. By next spring the transformation is expected to be complete, he said.
It will include a brick pathway between the gardens and a fence covered in vines surrounding the gardens.
He plans to hold cooking shows and other parties in the garden after updates are complete, as well as educational field trips to include information on how the bee hives work.
"It will be very nice and natural and organic," he said, stating that they will grow trees to provide natural shade and maybe install a fountain.
The winter season of the Brick Yard Market will be celebrated at its holiday market on Nov. 21 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. There will be musical street performers and horse drawn carriage rides, as well as a visit from Santa.
Reach Crystal Garcia at crystal.garcia@northaugustatoday.com.
FOR MORE INFO
Interested in being a vendor at the Brick Yard Market? Contact Kimberly Bernard at (803) 380-1323.
