Cooking Demonstrations and Tomato Contests for Farmers Market Week

Celebrate National Farmers Market Week on Saturday, August 8, 2015, as the Gatlinburg Farmers Market will present its next in a series of special events, Cooking Demonstrations and Tomato Tasting Contest. Market customers can learn easy and scrumptious ways of preparing local foods and vote on their favorite tomato variety all while listening to music performed by Barry Bianchi and shopping for local produce.

Between 9 a.m. – 11 a.m., local chefs will demonstrate ways of using local produce to create delicious snacks and meals, Diana Campise of Josie’s Cookies will be giving a talk on historical ways of cookie making, and the tomato tasting contest will be under way.

Thomas J. Vilsack, secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, issued a proclamation declaring August 2-8, 2015 as National Farmers Market Week.

Farmers market visitors can taste and vote for their favorite of several different varieties of tomatoes. There will also be a “Weirdest” tomato category. Entries for the tomato tasting contest should contact market manager Stacey Adam no later than Wednesday August 5th at gfmmarketmanager@gmail.com or 865-332-4769. Anyone can participate in the “Weirdest Tomato” category by bringing their “weird” or “ugly” tomato to the judging table between the hours of 8:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. during the market on August 8th. The tomato tasting prize is a $20 gift card and the “Weirdest Tomato” prize is a $10 gift card to the Sevierville Co-op. Winners will be announced at 11:15 a.m. during the Farmers Market.

“Growing or buying our food locally can be rewarding and satisfying intellectually because we know exactly where the food comes from and how it is handled, but if we’re honest, we really like locally, home-grown food because it tastes the best. There is nothing better than the first home-grown ‘matter’ of the season,” said market manager Stacey Adam.

The Gatlinburg Farmers Market is located in the Great Smoky Mountains Arts and Crafts Community at the Covered Bridge on Glades Road. Special events are held the second Saturday each month through October and Kids Day is held every fourth Saturday. EBT is accepted. If making it to the Gatlinburg Farmers Market is not possible this week, make sure to attend one of the many wonderful East Tennessee Farmers Markets to support all of our hard working, local growers during National Farmers Market week.