The South Augusta Farmers Market celebrated its fourth season opening, Friday evening, commemorating a new location and further progress with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, during Mayor Garnett Johnson’s monthly Food Truck Friday event.
The Greater Augusta Black Chamber of Commerce helped the market kick off its latest season where it has set up shop in a storefront in the Windsor Plaza shopping center.
Each month, local farmers and fresh produce vendors — such as Adderson’s Fresh Produce, M. Latrell Farms and Goodness Gracious Grocery — will continue to gather to offer Augustans homegrown food options and resources to start growing for themselves.
Launched by nonprofit Augusta Locally Grown, the South Augusta market first opened in 2021 in the parking lot of Journey Sherwood Community Church. The following year it moved to the Henry Brigham Community Center, operating as South Augusta Farmers Market at Golden Camp. Last year, after renovations at Henry Brigham started, the market relocated to the former Garnett Johnson for Mayor headquarters, which has since been acquired by the Parker’s Kitchen convenience store chain.
Market co-founder Karen Gordon notes that its current location is still temporary, but represents a milestone for what began as an initiative to increase access to fresh, locally grown food.
“What we’ve done in the past is we’ve done pop-ups, where we bring all our stuff and then we take all our stuff back home,” said Gordon. “What’s different about this year is we are growing toward giving it a permanent space state, where we will put down roots in one space.”
The market’s primary focus has shifted from providing produce in areas in the city mostly lacking access to food, to emphasizing healthy alternatives to what’s available, Gordon explains.
The monthly food fair will still function as a platform for local farmers to increase their business, but will also add opportunities for artists and producers of handcraft products as well.
“We have we have the talent, we have the crafts, we have the artists, we have the brilliance right here in the community,” Gordon said. “When we invest in it, when we invest in the people, that’s when the magic happens.”
The South Augusta Farmers Market will open every third Friday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at 4104 Windsor Spring Road in Hephzibah.
Skyler Q. Andrews is a staff reporter for The Augusta Press. Reach him at skyler@theaugustapress.com.
