Saturday Market Newsletter June 15

in Murfreesboro Saturday Market, Rutherford County, Murfreesboro

Summer Produce and Summer Fun at the Market

"Make us your downtown destination for fresh, local, and wonderful."

There were first time visitors and weekly regulars who told us on Saturday that the market is indeed their happy place. We hope you will join us this week from 8-Noon around the courthouse. We have a full lineup of vendors, with summer produce and more. If you are looking for fresh, locally produced food, then the market is for you. It's also a good place to look for unique, handcrafted items with Father's Day coming up. And, it's just fun to stroll downtown, meet up with friends, and enjoy a cup of coffee. The Taylor Family musicians are back this week. Balloons by Loons will be making balloon creations to order. Our market supports local growers, makers, and producers and is open every Saturday from 8-noon through October 26 (rain or shine). See you Saturday morning.

Shop with these vendors at the June 15 Saturday Market.

Saturday Market Map for June 15-Find Your Favorite Vendors

The Lucky Farm Story-From Laos to Coffee County

Chong and Soua Lo are the owners of Lucky Farm in Manchester, TN. and full time vendors at the Saturday Market. They specialize in cut flowers, dryland rice, blueberries, corn, and produce. It has been a long journey from their home country of Laos to Coffee County in Middle Tennessee. Theirs is indeed an immigrant success story.

Hmong people, Chong and Soua were both born in Laos in the 1960s, and during the Viet Nam War the Hmong supported the American troops. When the Americans withdrew from Vietnam in 1975, the Hmong people became refugees in their own country. Still a teenager, Chong swam/floated across the Mei Kong River into Thailand to find a refugee camp suitable for his mother and siblings. He went back into Laos and brought them to Thailand-again across the river. Chong and Soua were married in Thailand in 1980, and in 1987 because of their people's support of the US during the war, the Lo family was relocated to California. They followed job opportunities from California to North Carolina and finally to Tennessee. It was Soua who started farming in 2010 as a side job, taking produce to local Middle Tennessee farmers' markets. In 2010 Lucky Farm was started with her produce farming. In 2016 they bought 33 acres in Coffee County and are both farming full-time and constantly expanding and improving their farm operation. They were highlighted on June 12 by the Coffee County Soil and Water Conservation District, with area farmers invited to tour their farm operation, and we were fortunate to be among the visitors at the Manchester farm. We are pleased to have Chong and Soua and their family at the Saturday Market.

You can find them on Facebook at TN Lucky Farm for special orders.

Vendor Highlights-Meet these Market Vendors

Don't get stuck in a rut when you make the market loop. Check out new vendors and market visitors. This week, ask Josh at Laurel Mountain Bakery about their rosemary-thyme sourdough bread (and other specialities) and their new half-loaves of breads. Audra offers samples of freeze-dried treats of all kinds at Blackberry Winter Teas & Treats (find them on Facebook). Jeff is at Sweet Girl Honey Farm every week at the market. They run a family farm and specialize in infused honey, raw honey, and assorted honey products. Samples are a real treat. If you have seen the lines for flower bouquets, then you know Lucky Farms. Chong and Soua run their flower and produce farm and are at the market every Saturday with fresh bouquets. Each week in our newsletter, we will highlight a few market vendors until we have featured all of them. You can find these vendors and other vendor locations on the weekly market map.

A Note From: T's Nuts Gourmet Peanut Butter

T's Nuts Gourmet Peanut Butter is a new vendor at the Saturday Market. Thanks to Tracey for giving us some history of their product:
"We started our business in 2023, and T’s Nuts Gourmet Peanut Butter has grown from our kitchen table into a premium brand using locally-sourced, quality ingredients. Well-known locally, founder and president Tracey Culbreath was determined to take a family favorite treat directly to the marketplace, creating delicious options with fresh honey roasted peanuts, cookies, brownies and candies into each ounce, including favorites Lava Java and Cookie Jar. Look for Tracey and her husband, Brandon, most weekends at the Murfreesboro Saturday Market on the square. You can also find their peanut butters at shops throughout Murfreesboro, Christiana, Rockvale, and Gatlinburg. Visit T's Nuts Gourmet Peanut Butter for product varieties, retail outlets and upcoming shows."
Find them at the market throughout the months of June and July, with more dates coming.

Happening on June 15 Downtown

We have a full market lineup this week with 68 full and part-time regular vendors and special market guests. Music is by the Taylor Family Musicians. See them on the Maple Street side of the courthouse.

The Mid-State Iris Association is bringing iris rhizomes to sell. Look for their tent on the east side of the courthouse. The MTSU Milk Truck is back! They will only be coming twice a month, so get it while you can.

Jen, with Gilded Grace Etiquette, a downtown business, will be set up to provide information about their classes. The Children's Entrepreneur Market (not affiliated with the Saturday Market) is open from 8-12 in the parking lot off East Main, adjacent to the square. Check out these young entrepreneurs while you are downtown. See you in downtown Murfreesboro on Saturday.