WESTSIDE — I went to the farmers’ market again Saturday morning. It’s an experience I look forward to during the spring and summer.

A couple of weeks ago I purchased lovely strawberries, fresh chard, crunchy radishes and a few small turnips. This week I bought some more turnips and some nice new potatoes. It’s fun to buy produce direct from the folks who grow it, visit with fellow shoppers and listen to local musicians.

The market at Gravette, now in its fourth year, is open from 8 a.m. until noon each Saturday at Old Town Park. This week’s patrons included a family visiting the area on vacation and some folks from Hiwasse who “just took a wrong turn” and were delighted with what they discovered.

The state’s shoppers are catching on. According to the Arkansas Department of Agriculture, in less than five years, Arkansas has gone from 20 markets to 80 markets and estimated sales of $5 to $15 million.

The farmers are as excited about this growth as their customers. Jack Patton of Maysville says he enjoys “going around pickin’ and grinnin’” and he’s not talking about “pickin” an instrument, he’s referring to “pickin” vegetables.

Jack and his wife Beth live on a 90-acre farm at Maysville where they raise cattle, chickens, pigs,ducks and guineas. Their children are grown and gone from home but they’re introducing their grandchildren to the joys of gardening. They have a 9-year-old grandson who loves to help dig potatoes.

The Pattons have become regular vendors at the Gravette farmers’ market. They plant about an acre of garden; and this year they’ve sold radishes, spinach, chard, cabbage, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, beets, new potatoes, turnips and a salad mix (spinach, kale, chard and lettuce). Beth promises to have snow peas next week and raspberries and blackberries later in the season.They’ve planted two 50-foot rows of asparagus which will produce for next year’s market. They use no chemical pesticides or fertilizers in their garden.

The Patton booth also features fresh eggs and Beth’s home-baked cinnamon rolls and blueberry muffins. You can buy cedar, oak, hickory or red bud trees or add to your own landscape with their plants, including hens and chickens, aloe vera, fennel, feverfew, moonflowers and dusty miller.

Evelyn McGraw of Gravette is another familiar face at the local market. She’s been selling radishes, lettuce, broccoli and spinach and has all sorts of vegetables planted. In future weeks she says she’ll offer tomatoes, cucumbers, green beans, potatoes, peppers, okra and several kinds of squash.She also sells crocheted items, flip-flops, hand towels, pot holders and smocks, as well as leather pouches, bracelets and necklaces made by Ruth Hardy. Evelyn’s husband John is skilled at small engine repair if you need someone to work on your equipment.

I’ve bought sweet, ripe strawberries from Paul Mahon of Hiwasse, and he’s also selling radishes,lettuce, turnip greens and mustard. Later in the year, his booth will hold cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, corn, okra and squash from his 80- by 120-foot garden. Paul raises cattle on the 400-acre family farm at Hiwasse. He no longer raises turkeys but has a few chickens and guineas - “yard birds” for his own use. On Saturday he introduced me to “Arkansas Gardener,” a slick localized gardening magazine.

If you have a sweet tooth, there are always representatives from the Billy V. Hall Senior Activity Center on hand selling a variety of delicious cookies. In addition to the basic chocolate chip, sugar cookies, oatmeal and peanut butter, there are others containing chocolate chunks, macadamia nuts, M & Ms and other goodies. All proceeds from their sales help fund the Meals on Wheels program.

And for entertainment while you’re shopping, Jeff Davis is usually on hand strumming a catchy tune on his banjo, accompanied most weeks by Gary and Linda Lefevre. Jeff also has a few of his handmade banjos and ukuleles for sale.

An article in this month’s Arkansas Farm Bureau magazine reports that the increasing popularity of locally grown foods and farmers’ markets doesn’t seem likely to be slowing anytime soon. “So why not wake up early next weekend, head to a farmers’ market and meet a local farmer who grew the food you feed your family?” asks writer Stephanie Buckley. “It’s fun, and you’ll become addicted to the experience.”

Gentry also has a farmers' market, located at the big Main Street Pavilion, next door to the Chicken Coop Flea Market.

Susan Holland, who works for the Westside Eagle Observer, is a lifelong Benton County resident.

Opinion, Pages 6 on 06/01/2011