Hot, humid weather did not make the Youth Festival / Back-to-School marketgoers stay home! Altogether, there were 29 vendors and over 500 attendees.

It was great to see the 4-H Grill Masters hard at work over their grills at the 3rd Annual County Grill Masters Competition! They rose to the challenge and smoked the competition! The Grill Masters competed in grilling chicken, beef, pork, and lamb. Music was provided by the very talented 4-H keyboard artists Truett Davis and Levi Fritts, and excellent guitarist (and 1st place in lamb grilling!) Madeline Groce. They play all genres of music, but gentle jazz was the theme early this morning. Open to all kids, the contests for the best veggies, eggs, flowers, table decorations, and Lego construction were judged the day before, and the 1st and 2nd prize winners of all the competitions were on display. Congratulations to all the winners on a job well done!

There were lots of activities for children. Tameka Chesney, Director of Union County Libraries, had information on pollinators and their importance in our lives. Kids used clothespins to make their own butterfly and bee pollinators. Since it was the third Saturday of the month, Nourish Kids was at the market with even more activities. This is a free program for kiddos aged 2-12. They can participate in fun learning activities, sample local produce (today was cantaloupe!), AND receive Nourish Kids Bucks to spend on fresh fruits and veggies at the Market! Jessica Raley’s Free Books for children and adults were there. On the 3rd Saturday of any month, browse her generous selection and choose your next (free) read.

Nana’s Farm Products in Corryton brought a honey super frame in a glass case showing the intricate honeycomb and bees actively making honey. Very interesting to watch their behavior and work, and no chance of being stung!

Many of the regular vendors were kept busy with customers. And there were two relatively new folks at their second-ever market. Laura Atkins had a display of her unusual, exquisite, hand-crafted jewelry. She is a Lapidarist. She cuts, shapes, and polishes rough rocks, minerals, and precious gems into finished decorative pieces or jewels. Using saws, grinding wheels, and polishers, she turns raw stones into brilliant items for jewelry and art.

Her business is called Rock/Paper/Sky. Laura is a member of the International Meteorite Collectors Association, and she travels out west to hunt meteorites. (She waits until fall not just because the air temperatures are cooler, but mostly because there are fewer snakes!) She had several pieces crafted from meteorites. Stone is a feature of much of her work, as is dinosaur bone. Laura is a silversmith, and her jewelry is made with various materials. One necklace was copper with infused sterling silver. Laura lives in Luttrell, has always been an artist, and has a degree in Printmaking from the University of TN. You can contact her at Laura@RockPaperSky.com

Fire on the Mountain Pizza, prepared in the Heritage Culinary Center Commercial Kitchen, was back by popular demand and sold out quickly. Offerings included BBQ Chicken, Fire on the Mountain (with jalapeño!), Mountain Mushroom, Pepperoni, and Cheese. You don’t need to wait until a Market Day for his pizza. John Collis is available to prepare any pizza, especially for your backyard party or private event. You can contact him at PizzaFireOnTheMountain@gmail.com .

Union County’s Farmers’ Market has had several young entrepreneurs working the Market this season. Halls Middle School student, Jackson Norton, needs to earn some money for a new, larger fishing pole for the largemouth bass and catfish he wants to catch. As a deer and duck hunter, he found that ammunition is expensive and wants to find a way to afford it. He has been at the market selling his refreshing lemonade. You should stop by and hydrate at the next market!

The Food Demo today was very simple, attractive, and surprisingly delicious. Veggie Pinwheels were made with tomatoes, greens, and garlic and herb cream cheese all wrapped up in whole wheat tortillas. Market Chef Abigail Thomas, Union County Extension Agent for 4-H Youth Development and Family and Consumer Science, made fresh pinwheels for free samples for all.

Health Educator Anna Marie Cooksey and Registered Nurse MacKenzie Graves, both from the Union County Health Department, were offering FREE blood pressure checks for anyone who wanted to take a seat at their table. Anna Marie wanted to be sure that county residents were aware that free Narcan is available at the Health Department Monday–Friday, 8 am – 4:30 pm. Their new program is the Sick Visits for Adults (not children). Call to make an appointment for upper respiratory issues, urinary tract infections, rashes, nausea/vomiting/diarrhea, sore throats, or earaches. Call 865-992-3867. They both stressed how important it is to take your health into your own hands and get outdoors! Go for a walk, ride a bike! There is now a Healthy Parks Healthy Person program that lets you earn rewards at your local park while improving your health. Contact the Health Department for info.

And guess what??? Santa is making a quick trip down from the North Pole on Saturday, August 22, from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm just to be at Christmas in August at the Union County Farmers’ Market!! Gather up the little ones and bring them on down. You won’t want to miss it!