Here's some great news for folks in Sharps Chapel. The Union County Farmers Market is coming to you with fresh, local produce, noon to 2 p.m. every Wednesday, at the Sharps Chapel Senior Center.

"We have tossed it around for awhile," said Beth Bergeron of UT Extension. "We realized that there were some regulars (from Sharps Chapel) that we hadn't seen in two years. Apparently, Saturdays are not good for that particular community."

Bergeron said the Wednesday market will continue in the Chapel as long as there is interest.

There's even more on tap this summer and fall for the main Union County Farmers Market, which is still held every Saturday through October, 9 a.m. to noon, at Wilson Park in Maynardville, and Bergeron said it's been a great season so far.

"I think we have more customers and vendors than we've had in the past," she said. "We seem to be up numbers-wise, but we're definitely up vendors-wise, and we have more sales than last year."

Bergeron said the biggest attraction this year has been peaches from Hansard Farm. The next-biggest is typically corn. And there's a slate of new programming aimed at the market's youngest patrons. The Junior Chef program has 4-H students doing cooking demonstrations for the public and offering samples to market customers. These youngsters presented every weekend in May and are now doing special occasions and the upcoming fifth Saturday celebration. On each second and fifth Saturday, the Farmers Market offers the kids POPP program, which stands for power of produce and protein.

"The kids go to a program and learn about healthy eating, making good choices when they're eating, and it's all about the stuff they can find at the market. They even get Farm Market Bucks if they're in by 10 a.m.," Bergeron said. "It's supposed to give the kids the opportunity to buy something they would like."

The Extension staff is presenting Farm Market Fresh, professional cooking demos using products from the market.

Saturday, July 29, is the fifth Saturday celebration at the market, and everyone will vote for their favorite tomato. The Youth and Corn Festival will make its annual appearance Saturday, Aug. 5. According to Bergeron, that festival serves a special purpose.

"We had a corn festival for many years, but last year we added youth to it to celebrate the youth and the talent in our community," Bergeron said. "We are a county without a county fair, and consequently our youth don't get to enter things into a county fair."

To help 4-H students get some experience and feedback before the Tennessee Valley Fair, there will be displays and competitions of woodworking, cooking, flower arranging, and much more. Kids who would like to enter items in the competitions should contact the Union County UT Extension office at 865-992-8038. There will also be live music, farm fresh corn for purchase, and Top Flight BBQ. That day, the market will be open an extra hour, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

August 12, will see a special back-to-school edition of the Union County Farmers Market, as the UT Extension partners with Revival Vision Church to support the Milan Baptist Church food pantry with the Color Run. This fun run around Wilson Park is open to everyone who will bring three cans of food and wear white. There will be a celebration at the end of the race in which powdered color will be thrown on the runners.

On the second Saturday in September, the Farmers Market will partner with Union County Arts Council for a Celebration of the Arts market. There will be an open-air drawing and painting competition with both a youth and an adult division. Artists and crafters will have vendor space, and live music will be provided by Eric Holcomb and Friends.

"We hope people will come out and join us," said Bergeron. "We have lots of fun every week. It's just a really good spot to come to. We'd like people to come sit awhile, sit and stay. But if they want to just come and do their shopping, that's OK, too."

For more information, visit the Union County Farmers Market Facebook page.