When the spring weather begins to peek through like the buds andblossoms that come with it, people begin to turn their minds totheir gardens and fresh produce as well.

Mississippi State University Extension Service Agent Rebecca Batessaid the Farmers Market doesn’t start until June, but that plansand plantings have already begun.

“We’re excited, the third year we’re going into is bigger andbetter than ever,” she said. “I’m excited about this market thisyear, because we’ve been meeting with the board every month. Nowwe’ve got the rules and regulations on line, and we finished bylawsfor the association this month. We’ve got a strong core group ofpeople that believe in the market.”

Bates said the first Friday in June will be the first Friday of theFarmers Market as well. She said that will be the kickoff of thevegetable emporium, but that the second Friday in June will be thebig event.

“The biggest day is second Friday, it’s Dairy Day,” she said. “Wehave a cookoff and free chocolate milk and ice cream, and some ofthe dairy men will bring some calves for the kids to playwith.”

There will also be other attractions that day, Bates said. Afull-sized fake cow will be brought to Dairy Day, she said.

“It has a rubber udder and they fill it with milk and the kids cancome and milk it,” she said.

But in the meantime between now and then, the market is well on theway to being the best year so far.

“We’ve got more vendors, more growers that have signed on, and thenour regular cake bakers and bread makers,” she said.

In addition, she said anyone who wants to raise produce this yearmay want to go ahead and get started, whether they’re going tobring it to market or not.

“People should be preparing their soil now,” she said. “If theyhaven’t taken a soil sample they need to do that now, and get it tous so we can send it off so they know what kind of nutrients theyneed to add.”

The actual planting doesn’t necessarily need to be startedimmediately, though.

“You’re really safe here if you wait until Easter, but I can’t waitthat long,” she said.

For the cold snap coming Sunday, though, Bates said it’s a goodidea to keep the softer plants covered.

“It’s not supposed to freeze, but if you’ve already got tomatoes ortender plants in the ground, I’d cover them,” she said. “Even ifit’s just a big black plastic nursery pot, just cover them.”