The Douglas Mercado, the local farmers market, will open for the fourth straight season, this Sunday, April 15 from 10-2 p.m. at Castro Park, located on 10th St. between D and E Avenues. The farmers market will run every Sunday through October.

The opening celebration will include music by T.S. Webb who will play bogey wogey blues on his piano. A good nutrition booth by Cornell-certified Jose Reyes will feature tips on how to eat healthy and incorporate more vegetables and fruits in your diet.

Organically grown spring produce will include fresh leafy greens such as Romaine lettuce, lettuce mix, kale, Chinese cabbage, spinach and fresh herbs from several local growers including Edwin Vasye of Sacred Gardens Sanctuary farm outside of Douglas. Fruit smoothies and fresh fruit salads will be offered by Keoki Skinner along with prepared food and drinks by other food vendors.

The market will include freshly laid eggs, pecans, home-style baked goods, three kinds of tortillas as well as Mexican treats and candies. Fresh brewed hot coffee and bags of organic coffee roasted in Agua Prieta will also be available from Just Coffee (Cafe Justo) a Mexican coffee farmer’s cooperative. Local artists will sell their paintings and handmade greeting cards.

The Douglas Mercado participates in the Arizona Farmers Market Nutrition Program so W.I.C. vouchers will be accepted for locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables from approved vendors with blue signs.

The Mercado will celebrate Earth Day on Sunday, April 22 with a demonstration of solar cooking by Baja Arizona Sustainable Agriculture. Find out how you can cook with the sun, saving on energy and keeping the house cool this summer. BASA will also sell its locally ground and harvested, nutritious mesquite flour that can make baked goods more diabetes-friendly. Pick up a mesquite harvesting handout to gather your own mesquite pods this summer.

Backyard growers are invited to bring extra fruits and vegetables and plants they grow to sell at the market. Arts and crafts vendors are also welcome. For information about the Mercado or to reserve a vendor spot please contact Sister Mary Kirkoff at marykmms@juno.com and 678-8579.