***NOTE: Due to supply chain issues, the Heritage Area Agency on Aging will be distributing nutrition vouchers on June 23rd, rather than June 2nd originally mentioned below.***

The Washington Farmers Market season begins Thursday, with the hopes of being the biggest yet with many vendors and amenities offered to the community.

Main Street Washington Executive Director Sarah Grunewaldt says they are looking forward to repeating last year’s increased attendance from vendors and visitors, with more featured food trucks to satisfy customer demand, and the return of the salsa contest in August after a couple year absence. Grunewaldt shares how the produce selection might look these first couple of weeks, “I think it’s going to be a little slim, honestly. Just with how the growing season is going so far. A: it’s been dry even though we’ve had a ton of rain and B: it’s been cold and so I think we’re probably going to be a little delayed. But we’re going to have wonderful baked goods, we’re going to have wonderful meat products, we do have some egg vendors. The spring veggies will come.”

The market continues to offer the Double Up Food Bucks program for those with a SNAP EBT card, and the Heritage Area Agency on Aging will return to the market on June 2nd to give away senior farmers market nutrition vouchers, to which Grunewaldt is proud Washington distributes more of these vouchers than any other market in the region. The Farm Fables program also returns for its second year at the market, where local businesses sponsor to give away 100 free books to children who attend. The farmers market lasts from 5-7:30 p.m. Thursdays through October 13th at Central Park. You can hear more during Monday’s Halcyon House Washington Page on air and at kciiradio.com.