It started out with just four vendors selling their wares in Wadesboro's town square. In just the second week, that number nearly tripled, as about 10-11 local farmers, bakers and crafters turned out for the weekly Uptown Wadesboro Farmer's Market on July 9, and in the third week, eight vendors were on hand selling everything from fresh baked bread and jams and jellies to farm fresh produce like corn, tomatoes, peppers, watermelons and even eggplant.

"We started with just four people the first week and had about 10 or 11 the next week so it's definitely improving," said Carly Little, chair of Uptown Wadesboro Inc.'s board of directors. "People are continuously running out of stuff to sell and that's a good thing."

"The first week was kind of slow," admitted Don Altieri, who also serves on the Uptown Wadesboro board. "But in the first 15 minutes, we sold out of the baked bread. We've definitely got a good variety. We've got organically raised beef, honey, jams and jellies, and today, we've got beans, okra and peppers, which we haven't had before."

Those produce items came courtesy of Lorenzo Joins of Morven, who was setting up his table at the farmer's market for the first time.

Randy Steele sold watermelons out of the bed of his pickup truck to the driver of a big rig 18-wheeler at July 9's market, and was selling tomatoes and more watermelons this week.

Sharon Edwards of Sharon's Sugary Splendidly Sweet offers sugar-free jams and jellies each week.

Becky Dill of Fancy Crafts, just a block over from the farmer's market, was on hand July 16, selling locally made items, including cotton dishcloths made of North Carolina cotton, birdhouses made by an Anson County young man and note cards illustrated by Janet Dribble, an emergency room physician at Anson Community Hospital. The note cards feature drawings of many Anson County landmarks.

"We're very pleased with how it's going," Little said.

The Uptown Wadesboro Farmer's Market will continue every Thursday afternoon this summer from 4-6 p.m. in the town square at the corner of West Wade and Greene streets.

Interested vendors should contact Carly Little at 704-694-2213.