Pinehurst residents now have their pick of days to shop at the downtown farmers market.

This year, the market will operate from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesdays and Saturdays, beginning Wednesday and running through September.

Kathy Peterson, the coordinator for the Sandhills Green Market, said fruits, especially strawberries and peaches, are popular.

“As long as the rain continues, I think we are going to have a great year for fruits and vegetables,” she said.

The added day and the additional hour of operation resulted from a community events survey residents filled out last year.

“We had a lot of people tell us that they worked during the week and couldn’t get to the market before it closed, so we think the weekend market will do really well here,” said Molly Goodman, senior planner with the village of Pinehurst.

The farmers market operates in the sand parking lot on Village Green Drive West in downtown Pinehurst and will feature between seven and 10 vendors, Goodman said. She anticipated that Saturday’s market could be a bit larger.

“We should definitely have all the local fruits and vegetables covered,” Goodman said.

Other items for sale include meats, breads and baked goods, fresh flowers and plants, and assorted crafts. There also will be live music.

Peterson said one of the biggest things that will occur at this year’s market in Pinehurst is the incorporation of local businesses into the mix. One example would be bringing in a business such as Green Gate Gourmet and pairing its olive oils and vinegars with strawberries and fresh bread.

The vendors are members of the Sandhills Farmers Green Market, which also puts on a market at Sandhills Community College.

Another group, the Moore County Farmers Market, also holds markets in Moore County at FirstHealth Center for Health and Fitness in Pinehurst, the Southern Pines Armory on Morganton Road and at the Southern Pines Downtown Park.

Contact Tom Embrey at tembrey@thepilot.com.