Area residents can soon look forward to their fill of garden-fresh fruits and vegetables.

The Lawrence Farmers Market will open Saturday, complete with Mayor Boog Highberger ringing the opening bell at 6:30 a.m. in the 1000 block of Vermont Street.

“It’s kind of exciting,” vegetable vendor Mary Jo Mensie said. “I’m really looking forward to seeing the other vendors and the customers. We’ve made a lot of good friends at the market, and it’s usually the only time we see them. So, I’m anxious to see everyone.”

Mensie will see her friends two weeks earlier than anticipated. Traditionally, the market opens the second Saturday of May. Organizers moved the opening up to accommodate vendors growing and selling perennials.

“There also are a lot of growers trying to extend their season by several weeks,” market coordinator Mercedes Taylor-Puckett said.

It’s also a good time of the year for some early vegetables, such as garden greens and asparagus, she said.

The market will open with 54 vendors selling produce, meats, prepared foods, artisan crafts, herbs and body care items. But there will be more than 70 vendors selling at the market throughout the season, Taylor-Puckett said.

Jane Live of Lawrence buys garlic from Mark Lumpe at the Lawrence Farmers Market in this June 2004 file photo. The farmers market will open at 6:30 a.m. Saturday.

“It should be packed every weekend,” she said. “There’s a lot of interest.”

The farmers market will remain in the 1000 block of Vermont for the entire season. But market coordinators continue to work with city officials with the hopes of moving to a larger location next season.

“We’re really hoping for a larger location because there are so many people wanting to reserve stalls, and we just don’t have it,” Taylor-Puckett said.

Taylor-Puckett said there should be a good crop of produce this season because the weather has been cooperative.

Mensie said she planned to have herb plants available as well as three different types of radishes, spinach, lettuce, green onions and arugula.

“I also have some shallots from last season that can be used for eating or growing,” Mensie said. “They stored well this year. Sometimes they don’t.”

On the Street: Are you looking forward to the opening of the Lawrence Farmers Market? Farmers market organizers push for move (04-23-05) Workshop to grow new farmers market vendors (03-17-05) Organizers want to move Farmers Market (03-10-05) Farmers Market may spill into street (09-10-04) 6News video: Farmer’s Market may move to larger space (09-09-04)