Celebrate Earth Day at Mulberry Market

Earth Day has been celebrated all over the world since the 1970s. It was started as a way to make people more aware of their environment. In some places, Earth Day is expanded and celebrated for an entire week. Although the official date for Earth Day is April 22, Macon-Bibb County will hold its annual Earth Day celebration April 20 in Tattnall Square Park.

In the past, we as a people were more in touch with nature. Our forefathers ate and lived off of the land. Nowadays, we have the choice to eat out and work at jobs. As a child, my family always had a backyard garden that we planted each year on Good Friday. To this day, my mother keeps the tradition alive at her home. Here lately, it does seem like we're experiencing a back-to-nature renaissance with the farm-to-table movement and the support of locally-grown initiatives.

If you grew up in Macon from the early 70s through the mid 90s, you should be able to remember when the State Farmers Market on Eisenhower Parkway was thriving. Most locals purchased fresh produce from there or from Sonny's Produce off of Broadway in downtown Macon. Not to mention, the weekends were made for local farmers to post up on the corners all around town.

Furthermore, I had family members who were sharecroppers. They farmed land and raised livestock in what is currently known as Sub South Macon. My parents would purchase bushels of peas and beans for my brother and I to pick and snap.

For the past few years, the Mulberry Market has brought that culture back to life in Tattnall Square Park. During this year's Earth Day celebration, which happens from 3-6 p.m. at the park, you can take part in that experience. One of the reasons we will observe our local Earth Day on April 20 instead of April 22 is because of the close-to-nature momentum the weekly Mulberry Market has built in Macon. All types of farmers and craftspeople from around Georgia come here to sell their products. There's always quite a selection of goods, which include handmade jewelry, natural beauty items, fresh fruits and vegetables, meats and pure honey.

Community Health Works is an organization dedicated to creating healthier communities. One of its many initiatives is the Mulberry Market, which was started on Mulberry Street near the Macon-Bibb County Courthouse. Now, it takes place in Tattnall Square Park every Wednesday from 3-6 p.m. This market is strictly for people who produce their own merchandise and foods. Most weeks the students of Helms College, a culinary institute, come out and cook sample dishes of items from the stands of the food vendors.

On Earth Day at the Mulberry Market, the Ocmulgee National Monument will be on site issuing free hardwood native trees to the attendees. This Macon-Bibb Earth Day 2016 event is a family affair with activities for children, nature tours, an exhibit of animals, live music and a lot of giveaways. The overall event is free. However, you'll need money to support the market vendors. By the way, the Mulberry Market accepts credit and debit cards and EBT.

Yolanda "Y-O" Latimore is founder of Poetic Peace Arts and director of Like Water Publicity, a media and booking agency, and a member of the Macon Arts Alliance board. Contact her at ylatimore@gmail.com.

This story was originally published March 31, 2016 at 5:14 PM with the headline "Celebrate Earth Day at Mulberry Market ."