Restaurants & FoodTravel

Franklin Farmers Market: A First-Timer’s Review

franklin-farmers-market-plants.jpg I had never been to the Franklin Farmers Market before this. Wow, have I been missing out!

The Franklin Farmer’s Market is held behind the Factory at Franklin (230 Franklin Road at the corner of Franklin Road and Liberty Pike).

It’s open Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. each May through October.

We arrived at about noon to a nearly full parking lot. Be sure to plan accordingly for finding a parking spot, or walking to the market from where you have to park.

First Impressions

It’s not as big as the Nashville Farmers Market.

But I really like the size of it — just enough without being overwhelming.

The first thing I noticed was the live music.

tom-grant-beverly-franklin-farmers-market.jpg Tom Grant (songwriter and a local favorite singing on many morning shows) and his wife, Beverly, were under a tent singing while the lunch crowd sat nearby at a bunch of tables to eat the plate lunches (burgers, wraps, and more) sold there.


Vendors At The Franklin Farmers Market

There were so many vendors selling their locally made items and locally grown produce and flowers.

I saw:

  • annual flowers, plants, and bushes
  • produce like lettuce, radishes, and other early summer veggies
  • meats, eggs, & cheese
  • local honey and preserves
  • handcrafted wooden pens and butcher blocks
  • handmade air fresheners and soaps
  • fresh baked bread
  • aprons
  • artwork
  • and much more

flowers-franklin-farmers-market.jpg  lettuce-veggies-franklin-farmers-market.jpg

 

Educational Information Too

A lot of people brought their children and dogs with them.

My daughter was not with me for this trip, but I would say she’d like it too. Looking at everything on display is entertainment in itself, but with the music and samples that were given out, she would have had a lot of fun.

At the local honey stand, they had a bee hive in between plates of glass so you can see in it, along with a little educational information about bees. And the day we were there, a special exhibit was set up with Buttercup the (wooden) cow to teach the kids how to milk a cow.

 

buttercup-how-to-milk-a-cow.jpg how-to-milk-a-cow-franklin-farmers-market.jpg beehive-honey-demonstration-franklin.jpg

 


Get There Early!

The farms that are represented are all local, family farms. This means the produce is seasonal. You won’t find any tomatoes there in the early summer because they aren’t ready yet. But in the middle of summer, there will be a much bigger selection of veggies.

Since we arrived pretty late to the market, many of the veggies were already sold out. I wish I had gotten some fresh peas but they were already gone.

Just to be on the safe side, though, get there early if you want first pick!

It is a great way to support the family-run farms and other vendors in the area. Just bring your wallet because it is hard to leave there empty-handed.

 

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