Mississippi Farmers Market

The Mississippi Farmers Market – 929 High Street in downtown Jackson – has been in operation for the last 16 years, making it a local favorite for everything fresh the state has to offer. Featured goods sold include fresh local produce, baked goods, arts, crafts and more.

At the market, farmers from all over the state bring their best. The building that The Mississippi Farmers Market calls home has 32 stalls and roll-up doors, making it suitable for all-weather, all year. Visitors peruse the market to view countless fruits and vegetables and the freshest milk and coffee money can buy. Growers and farmers of all sizes bring their bounty to the state capital for this weekly event.

Along with seasonal locally-grown fruits and vegetables, shoppers will find a wide array of Mississippi products, including dairy products (milk and cheeses), beef, pork, eggs, honey, plants, flowers and value-added products like jams, jellies, cookies, pies, cakes and bread. Customers can also find works by local artists and craftsmen, including birdhouses, jewelry, purses, and ceramic and wood products.

“We see increased demand from consumers wanting to purchase locally-grown farm products. This trend has led to the growth of the farmers market as the market provides a place for consumers to purchase directly from the farmers who grew it,” explains Andy Gipson, Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce at the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce.

“During the 16 years that the market has been open, it has grown in the number of participating vendors and products available to customers. During the peak produce season, shoppers can expect to find around 45 to 50 vendors consisting of farmers, food producers, and local craftsmen and artisans.”

A year ago, April 10, 2021, the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce opened the Genuine MS® Store inside the Farmers Market. Genuine MS® is the state’s branding program to promote products grown, raised, crafted and made in Mississippi.

The store offers over 200 products from Mississippi’s farmers and crafters, including food products (rice, grits, honey, beef products, jellies, sauces, coffees, teas, cookies, cheese straws), leather goods (wallets, purses, holsters), wood products (cutting boards, charcuterie boards, birdhouses) and gift items (candles, pillows, jewelry, soap, lotions). This offers farmers market shoppers another avenue to purchase locally at the market.

The store is open Thursdays and Fridays from 11 am to 1 pm and from 8 am to 1 pm on Saturdays. The City Limits Café, located inside the market, serves breakfast and lunch Monday through Saturday.

There is a considerable increase in the product variety in April, including tomatoes, green and pole beans, kohlrabi, English peas, mizuna, strawberries, onions, microgreens, turnip roots, and various kinds of flowers, plants and ginger. However, the month with the best products in the spring is May which boasts blueberries, blackberries, plums, strawberries, tomatoes, sweet corn, pickling cucumbers, slicing cucumbers, English peas, squash, zucchini, onions, red potatoes, okra and eggplant.

For the summer, June leads the way with green, pole and butter beans, peaches, cantaloupe, watermelons, figs, sweet corn, eggplant, red potatoes and okra, and all types of pepper, squash and tomatoes. Muscadines are typically available starting in August.

The market is open on Saturdays from 8 am to 1 pm year-round and on some weekdays seasonally.

To find out more about the Mississippi Farmers Market, follow the market on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and sign up to receive the weekly e-newsletter, What’s Fresh.