The Market Report: Port Royal Farmer's Market a Saturday tradition

By Susan Clark |  The Port Royal Farmer’s Market, situated perfectly in the Naval Heritage Park right along Ribaut Road, is a paradise of sorts for lovers of our local markets.  Nursery plant, seafood, and produce vendors line the cement walkway smiling at potential customers from a variety of backgrounds and age groups.  Child strollers and dog leashes are abundantly present showing that it’s clearly a family and pooch friendly place.  The market is not big on size, but it’s big on quantity of products offered, and it’s certainly big on personality.  On average around 30 vendors show up with their best, every Saturday.

Susan Brant from Brant Family Farms outside of Varnville, SC is a regular vendor.  Brant mainly sells tomatoes and blueberries, but sometimes has other produce depending on the season.  She told us that her produce is “certified naturally grown, and the farm is also currently growing organically but is not yet certified as organic growers due to the certification cost”.  We found that to also be the case for other venders at the market.  Brant said she comes to the Port Royal Farmer’s Market because it has a lot of traffic and their farm “does well”.

“I have a lot of regular customers that come because they know we’re here,” Brant said.

Brant is right, the market has a lot of traffic.  Especially at 9am which is it’s busiest time.  Attendee Barbara Hall said she lives in Port Royal and comes to almost every week to buy her fruits and vegetables.

“Most of it is locally grown or from the next county over.  You’re buying right from the source,” Hall said.

The market accepts EBT, debit and credit cards as forms of payment.  Market hours are Saturday 830 am – 12pm.

What we spotted at the Port Royal Farmer’s Market: 

tomatoes
fresh berries
melons
peaches
green beans
okra
onions
peppers
eggplant
squash
potatoes
bread
eggs
meat
cheese
pasta
jam
boiled peanuts
popcorn
crepes
honey
plants
seafood
ready-made meals
fresh cut flowers

…and lots of smiling faces.

Written by Susan Clark.  Susan will be filing a regular ‘Market Report’ every week throughout the season.