Join green groups, local farmers and Farmers’ Market community partners for a day of going green by eating and growing locally. Did you know the average meal travels 1,500 miles from farm to plate? Eating fresh produce, meats, eggs and dairy products from just down the road helps you to reduce your carbon foot print by shortening the distance your food (and plant materials) travels to you.

            The Farmers' Market is joined by Walk/Bike Nashville for a day of great food and cycling. Bike lovers, and those just wanting to avoid the Farmers' Market parking lot, can join Walk/Bike team leaders at three meeting point in Nashville. Starting from Hillsboro Village, North Nashville and East Nashville, riders can learn the best routes to the Market through an organized ride sponsored by Walk/Bike. Riders receive a free re-usable Market bag when they get to the Market.

            We'll be initiating a new practice of closing the drive through between the two farm sheds on Saturday and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. While some shoppers may have a bit farther to walk to the fabulous farm shed vendors, we hope this will create more cross traffic between the two sheds and reduce the risk of accidents in the area. Visit the Walk/ Bike Nashville booth in our new Market Midway to learn about riding your bike to the Farmers’ Market and how to participate in the 5^th annual Tour de Nash on May 17^th. You can also learn the many easy bus routes to the Market from Nashville’s Metro Transit Authority. Other participants include the Clean Air Partnership of Middle TN, Kilowatt Ours, Slow Food Nashville and Friends of the Nashville Farmers' Market.

            Shoppers can enjoy music from John England and the Western Swingers on the Market Midway Stage starting at noon and continuing until 2 p.m.

Coming to the Farmers' Market is about getting to know your food. This year we've begun a  "Meet your Farmer" program that starts this Saturday at 10 a.m. with the folks from Freedom Tree Farms in Pelham, Tennessee. Growers Dale Bryan and Catherine Daugherty bring a spectacular selection of fruit producing trees and shrubs to the Market everyday. Freedom Tree Farms is in the process of becoming the only organic fruit tree and shrub producer this side of the Mississippi. Join us from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. in stall # 200-202 in Farm Shed I.

            Learn from our Market experts at Garden's of Babylon and Direct Growers nurseries. At 11 a.m. Gary Lambeth from Direct Growers will be guiding shoppers through creating an intense “square foot garden” at his nursery on the north end of the market. Join Marcus Kerske from Garden's of Babylon at 1 p.m. at the south end of the Market Midway and learn how to be prepared for a long hot summer and conserve our water resources through xeriscape .

            And while most people think of the great selection of locally grown tomatoes, melons and other fruits and vegetables available at the Market, there are plenty of healthy, affordable locally grown plants, herb and vegetable starts available this spring at the Market. There is so much green at the market this spring and we hope you will join us to celebrate the season at the Farmers’ Market.