TAHLEQUAH — Eggs fresh from the farm, tasty vegetables both domestic and exotic, and certified organic selections, are among the items eagerly anticipated on the Farmers’ Market menu.

Opening May 7 this year, the Farmers’ Market will be moving downtown to Norris Park, from 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays. The first three years it was based at the Lutheran Church.

At least 15 vendors will offer food and other items, such as, crafts and spinning yarn for sale. And some Saturdays, speakers offer workshops about topics like gardening, food preservation and small subsistence gardening.

The ambiance of people visiting and shopping is enhanced by Mike Allen playing his harp, bagpipes or guitar, usually from a perch in the back of his pickup.

Knowing where the food comes from, and being able to talk to the grower, are among the advantages of buying at the Farmers’ Market, which also helps support  local growers.

New this year will be Grade A dairy goat products – cheese, milk, butter, and eventually yogurt. The Grade A certification means the farmer uses approved equipment, which is inspected for public use.

“We enjoy sharing our product and knowledge with people who ask about it,” said Marty Tinsley.

She and her husband, Chrys, are upgrading their farm to the Grade A status.

“We enjoy the atmosphere at the Farmers’ Market and the clientele,” said Tinsley.

The Tinsleys have been making goat cheese for their family for several years, as a part-time venture.

“We’re changing our barn and building a processing facility to meet the requirements to sell goat milk and cheese legally,” Tinsley said. “The whole process is interesting, going from milking for our family to meeting the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture requirements to be Grade A.’

An inspector has been onsite making recommendations, and will do a final inspection so the Tinsleys can be certified Grade A.

Nubian and LaMancha goats are used by the Tinsleys, who hope to add yogurt later in the summer to their selections.

“It’s no easy task to get certified,” said Farmers’ Market Board President Johnnye Morton. “It’s expensive to get the equipment and get the building remodeled to specifications.”

Morton bakes biscotti and a variety of cookies to sell, “and maybe some surprises along the way that are still in the test stage.”

Hand-made herbal soaps are sold by nurse Nancy James.

“The Farmers’ Market is a good place to sell my soap,” James said. “They’re made from lye, adding essential oils and organic herbs.”

This will be her fourth summer to sell with the Farmers’ Market.

“I enjoy the atmosphere and I buy lots of fresh vegetables myself,” James said.

The newest board member, Marla Saeger, is not a grower.

“I’m an eater,” Saeger said. “I help with printing and production.”

Supporting the local farmers is important, she said, “and I value knowing where my food comes from.”

Board members include Morton, Saeger, Jane Corbin, Dale Hutchins and Marcia Hutchins.

“It’s my first year to participate,” Marcia Hutchins said. “I’m growing seedlings in the greenhouse right now for vegetables and cut flowers.”

She had to get a nursery license to sell flowers.

“My 7-year-old daughter wanted to do it, so I thought it would be fun to do it together,” she said. “We’ll also be providing recycling bins; we have Tahlequah Recycling. We did glass drop-off last year.”

It’s a family affair for the Hutchinses to be with the Farmers’ Market.

“My husband’s Uncle Randy sells meat and my father-in-law Dale was one of the founding board members,” Marcia said.

Dale Hutchins has always grown a big family garden.

“We grow a good garden and sell what’s extra at the Farmers’ Market,” he said, “for people who’ve never grown a garden and don’t know what a fresh vegetable tastes like.”

Organic and certified organic vegetables are chemical-free; no insecticides are used, he said.

“Certified organic is also a lengthy process,” Morton said. “Some growers offer organic vegetables, while others are certified organic.”

Unique to the Farmers’ Market are the new vegetables the Asian vendors sell, she said.

“People in this area have never seen a lot of the vegetables the Asian family sells,” Morton said. “They can learn about new foods and ways to prepare them.”

The meat vendor does really well, too, she added.

People say they like the music, she said, and the social aspect of visiting on a Saturday morning, before the bell rings to start the market.

“We are so appreciative of the people who come out to the Farmers’ Market; we wouldn’t exist without them,” Morton said. “We have a loyal customer base who appreciates the fresh taste of picked-that-morning vegetables.”

Moving downtown is really exciting for the Farmers’ Market vendors, she said.

“We appreciate the generosity and support of the city and Mainstreet; it’s a win-win situation for all of us,” she said.