Nashville and Franklin Farmers Markets (Sharon: high school, mall, eat)

[Eescapes]

I haven't explored much of Nashville (other than the parks) since I moved last June. I am still umemployed and I didn't want to be tempted to spend a lot of money. Today, I decided to go to the Farmers Market and had a great time! Thought I couldn't get in much trouble there but boy was I wrong! I was thinking of trying the Franklin Farmers Market next weekend. Which is better? Or, are they just different? Also, Is there parking other than in the front of the Nashville market? And, is there convenient parking at the Franklin Market (I have never been in that area of Franklin before)? Thanks!

[Tunky]

Franklin's is nice...right now though it is MUCH smaller than it will be closer to summer. We go every weekend for eggs/milk etc. It's small, but sweet.

[Eescapes]

Tunky, when I looked it up online, it said that the Franklin Market was only open from May - Sept. and only on Saturday's from 8am to 12pm???

[Tunky]

Nope..they are there all year long. Obviously during the winter it's about 5 booths, eggs, meat, dairy and soapmakers.

Oh...and I know it says 12pm online but it's really 1pm.

[alleycat]

Originally Posted by Eescapes

I haven't explored much of Nashville (other than the parks) since I moved last June. I am still umemployed and I didn't want to be tempted to spend a lot of money. Today, I decided to go to the Farmers Market and had a great time! Thought I couldn't get in much trouble there but boy was I wrong! I was thinking of trying the Franklin Farmers Market next weekend. Which is better? Or, are they just different? Also, Is there parking other than in the front of the Nashville market? And, is there convenient parking at the Franklin Market (I have never been in that area of Franklin before)? Thanks!

You can park along the street in back of the Nashville Farmers Market on 7th Avenue, but the best parking is in front of the market.

If you didn't get a chance to when you went this time, be sure to visit the Bicentennial Mall the next time you go.

[gabbyknashville]

where is the Franklin Farmer's Market?

I also love the Howell's veggie tents which are open during the spring and summer at Hillsboro High School and also at Hillsboro Road and Sharondale. They are a local farmer who has a place at the Farmer's market too but she has some of the most beautiful flowers and love her jams, veggies, fruits and homemade breads. The girls are all family so if you need to know how to cook something...they are happy to tell you.

[Tunky]

Franklin's Farmers' Market is at The Factory.

[Tunky]

Maybe some of you will be able to point us in the right direction.

My husband is from Ohio and in the fall they have a great tradition of making apple butter. Sometimes it's a community event, usually a family/friends thing. We carried that tradition on in Wisconsin and all of our friends looked forward to our "Apple Butter Party" (heavy on the "party" part) every fall.

We thought it might be a fun thing to do at a farmers' market or maybe even at a Halloween themed something-or-other like a pumpkin patch. It does, however, involve cooking it in our 35 gallon copper kettle over an open wood fire; so you probably can't light that up just anywhere. We used to host peeling apples/eating/drinking/card playing on Friday night and then Saturday we had the cooking/stirring/pouring in jars party followed by more eating/drinking/card playing. It was a lot of fun...and REAL apple butter (not that dark brown stuff they sell in the stores) is delish.

Any ideas of a place/event where we could introduce this activity?

[Eescapes]

Thanks! Is the Bicentennial Mall right behind the market?

Tunky, would it be worth my while to drive over to the Franklin market this coming Saturday? The website says "May -Sept" so I was thinking there would be a good many vendors there. It seems from looking at their site, it's different from the Nashville market?

[Tunky]

if you are looking for produce, IMO, probably not....it's still pretty small. In the summer and fall tho, it's great for that. Like I said, right now it's flowers, dairy, meat, eggs and crafty stuff.