Ascension market opens doors
Fresh produce sprouts up all morning at Lamar Dixon

GONZALES — The Ascension Fresh Market farmers market officially opened Saturday, offering customers tables stacked high with such offerings as fresh red tomatoes, green bell peppers, yellow squash and orange sunflowers.

All of the produce was harvested the day and night before the grand opening.

The new market — open from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays — is housed in the shade of the livestock arena at the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center, 9039 St. Landry Road, just off Interstate 10 near Gonzales.

Tommy Kurtz, president of the Ascension Economic Development Corp., who is the ad hoc director of the Fresh Market, said the market grew out of an idea presented by one of the corporation’s leadership classes.

“We’ll have the market every Saturday,” Kurtz said. “We have 15 vendors signed up and we’re going to expand.”

The vendor requirements are basic.

“You have to grow what you sell,” Kurtz said. “We have farmers from Ascension, Pointe Coupee, Tangipahoa and Livingston parishes.”

Bud Benton of Mon Jardin Farms in Batchelor, a fourth- generation farmer, grows crops on a 21-acre plot in northern Pointe Coupee Parish.

“This is my third market and we’ll soon be in a fourth one,” Benton said. “I grow all of the seasonal vegetables. We’ll have okra and corn coming soon.”

Benton said he worked in industry before he turned to farming.

“It took me 20 years to get back home and now I’ve been farming for 21 years,” Benton said. “I love farming.”

Kim DeBarge of Dutchtown purchased a generous supply of zucchini, squash and tomatoes.

“We’re having a barbecue on Memorial Day and the zucchini and squash are to grill,” DeBarge said.

And the tomatoes?

“They’re for tomato sandwiches.”

Angela Ciampa of Ciampa Farms of Hammond said she was a newcomer to the farmers market.

“My father has sold wholesale for years but started a roadside produce stand three years ago,” Ciampa said. “You can make a little bit more selling retail.”

Ciampa was selling bushels of fresh red beans, as well as tomatoes, squash and pickled eggs.

“These cook better than those dry red beans in the bag,” Ciampa said. “Nothing beats fresh produce.”

Her husband, Tim, was helping sell the produce. He was wearing a sleeveless T-shirt.

“I don’t think I have a shirt with sleeves,” he quipped. “I guess I have a farmer’s tan.”

Howard Dalton of Prairieville told Ciampa he was very appreciative of the market.

“Y’all keep coming back,” Dalton said. “We need this here.”