PARKERSBURG -The second annual Winter Market kicks off at 10 a.m. Saturday.
Rickie Yeager, planning administrator for the city, said the market will have more than 10 participating vendors.
In addition to a variety of homemade soaps, sundries, jams, jellies, baked goods and wares, fresh winter vegetables (including lettuces, onions, cabbages, cauliflower and broccoli) and eggs will be available from several local growers in the Mid-Ohio Valley.
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Shoppers peruse the 2011 Winter Market at WVU-P’s Downtown Campus. The Winter Market is open on the first Saturday of each month from November to March from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The market will feature a select cut of meats this season from Gardner Farms. Chicken, rabbit, duck, lamb, pork and goat are just a few items to be available, Yeager said.
Yeager said locally grown and processed-turkey from Gardner Farms will also be on sale, while supplies last.
"We are fortunate to have several producers participating in the Winter Market this season," he said.
Fact Box
At A Glance - The Winter Blues Lifestyle School
Saturday's canning session is the first of five Winter Blues Healthy Lifestyle School topics. The topics scheduled for the Winter Blues Healthy Lifestyle School series:
* Nov. 3: Debunking the myths of food preservation (canning)
* Dec. 1: With just minutes to cook it (preparing healthy meals on a budget)
* Jan. 5: Don't hibernateactivate! (getting back on track after the holidays)
* Feb. 2: Making the healthy choice (guest speaker TBA)
* Mar. 2: Container gardening (who knew you could grow that in there)
If people attend four of the five seminars, they will be entered into a drawing for a $50 gift certificate at the end of the season. The gift card will be redeemable at the Downtown Farmers' Marketplace starting in May 2013.
Yeager said to help celebrate the Winter Market's grand opening several establishments will be open for business in downtown Parkersburg. Among them are Mango Latin Bistro, The Daily Grind, Sew Creative and the Parkersburg Art Center.
"It's important that we support locally owned businesses. They are critical to our economy," said Carrie Nesselrode, executive director for Downtown PKB.
Visitors can pick up a map with a list of all the businesses open on Saturday at the Winter Market Information Booth. The first 100 people to stop by the information booth will be entered into a drawing for a $20 gift certificate to the Winter Market.
The market is adding the Winter Blues Healthy Lifestyle School (WBHLS).
"This new educational program is designed to help people make healthier lifestyle choices. The hour-long program will engage participants on a variety of topics," Yeager said.
"We're excited to offer this program to people in the community, free of charge," said Ann Conageski, city development director.
The WBHLS begins this Saturday at 11 a.m. with a special presentation from Paula Stawder.
Stawder, the Family and Health Extension sgent for Wood County, will be debunking myths surrounding food preservation (canning) techniques and will demonstrate proper USDA methods
The lifestyle school is made possible by the Highmark Foundations' "Let's Move!" Cities and Towns Partnership Program.
The first 20 participants to preregister and/or show up for the seminar will receive a free USDA Food Preservation Book and two canning jars. To preregister for the canning seminar or any of the seminars, contact Jay Fisher at 304-424-8518 or by email at jfisher@parkersburg-wv.com.
The Winter Market is open on the first Saturday from November to March, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
