As farmers markets continue to rise in popularity, the Sacramento region will add another on Sunday, May 3 with the opening of Winters Farmers Market in Rotary Park on Railroad Avenue at Main Street in Winters. The Davis Farmers Market Association is collaborating with the City of Winters and Winters Healthcare Foundation to launch the Winters Farmers Market, open Sundays from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm, May 3 through October 25.
    Farmers confirmed for opening day so far include:
• Terra Firma Farm in Winters (organic veggies, fruits and strawberries);
• Vue Farms in Elk Grove (vegetables and Asian produce);
• Yolo Bulb in Winters (olive oil, melons, persimmons, flowers and jam);
• Orangewood Farm in Rumsey (organic garden starts and plants);
• Capay Canyon Ranch in Esparto (organic grapes, raisins and almonds);
• Springhill Cheese in Petaluma (hand-crafted gourmet cheeses from Grade A Jersey milk);
• Solano Mushroom Company in Vacaville (brown and white mushrooms, portabellas, criminis, oyster and shitake mushrooms);
• McDonald Orchards in Capay (honey, walnuts, eggs, almonds and dried peaches);
• Capay Fruits and Vegetables in Capay (organic fruits and vegetables);
• Rich Fields Farm in Davis (pistachios, artichokes and flowers);
• Lloyd's Produce of Davis (organic veggies, including eggplant, green and yellow beans, cucumbers, basil, tomatoes, peppers and popcorn);
• Bruins Tomatoes in Winters;
• Heidi Wulff in Winters (eggs, meat and veggies);
• Plainfield Produce in Yolo County (corns, carrots and melons);
• Quinta del Sol Olive Oil in Winters;
• Joni Davids in Winters (pomegranate jam); and
• Berryesa Gap Winery in Winters (award-winning, estate-grown Yolo County wines). Davis Farmers Market Manager Randii McNear says, “We anticipate a full line-up of growers as the season progresses.”
    Food vendors for opening day include: Steady Eddy's, The Buckhorn/Putah Creek Cafe, Ficelle and El Pueblo Tacqueria (all from Winters); Upper Crust Bakery in Davis; and Tortilla Lady in Sacramento.
    Farmers scheduled to be at the Winters Farmers Market when their products are in season include: Rich Collins in Rio Vista (blackberries and red and white endive); Lester Farms in Winters (cherries, apricots, peaches, dried fruit , walnuts and baked goods); The Peach Farm in Winters (cherries, squash, melons and corn); and Warren Farms of Dixon (peaches, tomatoes and vegetables).
    The Putah Creek Crawdads of Winters will play on opening day from 8:30 to 10:30 am and the Green String Farm Band of Petaluma will play from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. On May 10th, music will be provided by two Davis bands: Dinorah (playing Spanish music) and Slice (playing a Spanish and English mix of music). Musical entertainment is planned for each Market.
    Start-up of the Winters Farmers Market is being funded by a grant awarded to the Winters Healthcare Foundation by the Community Clinics Initiative (CCI), a joint project of Tides Foundation and The California Endowment. The Market is one of three components of this project. The other two pieces are a community garden, and the expansion of the Winters’ Nutrition Education Program.
    Farmers markets are an integral part of the urban/farm linkage. Their increasing popularity is mostly due to the growing consumer interest in obtaining fresh products directly from the farm.  Adds MacNear, “Direct marketing of farm products through farmers markets continues to be an important sales outlet for  local agricultural producers.” Today, there are more than 4,685 farmers markets operating throughout the nation.