This Journal-World file photo from Saturday, Aug. 20, 2011 shows produce for sale at the Downtown Lawrence Farmers' Market.

Shoppers can expect to see more vendors, more sampling at booths and access to indoor restrooms this season at the Lawrence Downtown Farmers’ Market.

The 2017 Farmers’ Market will start its eight-month run with its opening day from 7 to 11 a.m. Saturday at 824 New Hampshire St. Its opening follows the January release of a marketing study that the Virginia-based local food system consulting firm SCALE Inc. conducted last year for the Douglas County Food Policy Council. The study made suggestions for how to improve the downtown market and others in the county.

Olivia Taylor-Puckett, manager of the Downtown Farmers’ Market, said that in response to the survey, market organizers developed goals of recruiting more vendors and increasing sampling. She anticipated both goals would be realized.

“We currently have 75 vendor applications turned in,” she said. “We have a lot of new vendors still going through the application process. We’re expecting to have 85 vendors this year. That’s definitely an increase from last year. We had only one vendor not come back and that was a matter of age and not dissatisfaction with the market.

“We are expecting vendors to be offering a lot more sampling this year because of what we will be offering vendors at market.”

Shoppers will notice another upgrade this year, Taylor-Puckett said.

“We have access to bathrooms in the east side of 888 Lofts,” she said. “The porta-potties will be gone.”

The downtown market will continue the Double Up Food Bucks program this year, which allows people to use food stamps at the Lawrence Farmers’ Market and match purchases up to $25 per day, Taylor-Puckett said. Participating customers will receive $1 silver tokens and $1 wooden tokens so they can buy more fresh fruit and vegetables while also supporting the local food system.

Customers can also visit the market’s information booth to purchase $5 tokens with credit, debit or food stamp cards, Taylor-Puckett said. The tokens can be used to buy any product at the market, and customers will receive regular money as change, she said.

The market starts hitting its seasonal stride in May, but Taylor-Puckett said shoppers will find plenty at Saturday’s vendor booths. Many produce vendors have hoop houses or greenhouses and will have radishes, rutabaga and other root vegetables and fresh greens for salads, she said.

Chicken and duck eggs will be available, as well as meats such as poultry, elk, lamb and goat, Taylor-Puckett said. Other vendors will be on hand with jams and jellies and assorted baked goods.

Construction continues on the old Pachamamas building at the southeast corner of the intersection of Eighth and New Hampshire streets. Taylor-Puckett said that would not interfere with the activities of the market in the parking lots just to the south of the construction zone. Weather was a bigger concern for opening day, but forecasts look encouraging, she said.

“I’m sure it will be a chilly morning typical of April, but the forecast says it may get up to 70,” she said. “It is supposed to be sunny, which is perfect.”

Lawrence vendor Robin Brooks said she was prepared for the market’s opening day, regardless of the weather.

“I was there one year when it was snowing,” she said. “Hopefully, it won’t be like that this year.”

Brooks, also known as “the cookie lady” for the 35 dozen cookies she brings to the market each week, has sold baked goods, jams, jellies and dog treats at the downtown market for 25 years.

“I’ve taken a few years off, but that’s my outlet,” she said. “That’s the only place I ever sell. I enjoy the customers and the regulars who come back year after year. That’s the big appeal.”

Regulars include the four-legged kind, Brooks said.

“Some dogs know me and where I’m at,” she said. “They pull their owners to my booth. I have a lot of regular customers for dog treats.”

This year, Brooks will add another item to her booth.

“I’m going to have a few eggs,” she said. “My daughter has chickens. There won’t be many, maybe four or five dozen.”