Tomatoes, Memphis Botanic Garden Farmer's Market, Memphis, Tenn.

- Memphis Botanic Garden’s Farmers Market (Wednesdays, 2 p.m. – 6p.m., Memphis Botanic Gardens)

The Memphis Botanic Garden’s farmers market has vendors set up under tents on a lawn near their plant shop. On a recent visit, vendors were selling organic meat out of freezer trucks (ground sausage, $4.50), tomatoes, cut flowers, Italian Ice, bread, and McCarter’s Coffee. Since it’s a botanic garden farmer’s market, they’ve also got a ton of hanging, potted and seedling plants for sale.

- Cooper Young Farmer’s Market (Saturdays, 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., First Congregational Church parking lot)

The Cooper Young Farmer’s Market is a newcomer this year. Farmers from all over the Mid-South bring meat, cheese, vegetables and stone-ground grits to the First Congo parking lot. There are also craft vendors and a guy who sharpens knives. As the season goes on, they’ll have more demonstrations and activities for kids.

- Agricenter Farmer’s Market (Monday – Saturday, 7:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., The Agricenter)

This suburban farmers market is one of the oldest in Memphis. It’s also one of the largest and most diverse. They’ve got a huge list of vendors that sell a little bit of everything – fruit, vegetables, preserves, coffee, meat, flowers, crafts, and soap. The Agricenter’s market is also the only one in town that’s open all week long.

- Memphis Farmer’s Market (Saturday, 7 a.m. – 1 p.m., Central Station Pavillion)

The Memphis Farmer’s Market (also known as the “downtown farmers market”) is a local favorite. Maybe it’s the free dog sitting, the live music, the cooking demonstrations, or the hula hoops. It could be the large number of vendors selling everything from goat cheese to cucumbers and granola. It’s one of my favorite places to buy flowers – you can get a decent-sized bouquet for $10 – $20.

If you can’t make it to one of the weekly farmer’s markets or don’t want to quit buying local when October rolls around, there are a few other options. There’s a “farmer’s market” on Union Ave. that’s open all week long. They’ve got seafood, meat, vegetables, prepared dinners, cheese straws, and local crafts. The Whitton Farms Trolley Stop Market is set to open mid-May. They’ll have locally grown groceries and a deli counter.

1. 8th Annual Southern Hot Wing Festival, South Main, Saturday, 12 p.m. – 6 p.m.

I love the annual hot wing festival. Cooking teams compete for wing-related awards and eaters compete to see who can eat the most wings. You can purchase wings from each cooking team, and all of the proceeds go to the Ronald McDonald House.

2. Rajun Cajun Crawfish Festival, Downtown (Wagner Place, between Union and Beale), Sunday, 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., free

Out of all of the crawfish-related activities at the Rajun Cajun Crawfish Festival, I’m most excited about watching the crawfish bob and the crawfish races. There will also be a gumbo cooking contest, music, and 10,000 pounds of crawfish. All of the proceeds benefit Porter Leath.

3. Storytellers Unplugged with the Wiseguys, Zinnies East Full Moon Club, Saturday, 8:30 p.m., $5

Local comedy legend Mo Alexander and I will  be joining the Wiseguys on Saturday night for their “Storytellers Unplugged” night. We’ll tell true stories and the Wiseguys will give their own unique interpretation of them. Between them, they’ll play traditional short-form improv games.

4. Grammy GPS Showcase, HiTone Cafe, Friday, 8:30 p.m., $10

The Recording Academy is having a weekend-long conference that will bring recording industry insiders to Memphis for shows and seminars. Tonight, there’s a showcase at the HiTone featuring a handful of local bands – the Dirty Streets, Pezz, Skewby, Tanks, and Jeremy Stanfill.

5. Memphis Farmer’s Market Season Opener, Central Station Pavilion, Saturday, 7 a.m. – 1 p.m., free

The downtown farmer’s market kicks off it’s fourth season on Saturday. Come pick up produce, bread, meat, cheese, fresh flowers, and homemade goods. They’ll have music and free pet sitting, as always.

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I’ve been hanging out in the WEVL studio this morning, helping out with their spring pledge drive. The all four of the Bluff City Backsliders are in the tiny studio with us, playing some awesome bluesy tunes.

In other news:

- Memphis lost a great civil rights icon today. Benjamin Hooks died early this morning. He worked to further civil rights until his death. We appreciate his very important contributions to the quality of life in Memphis.

- Shame on you if you didn’t make it to the Found Footage Festival at Studio on the Square last night. IndieMemphis brought two guys and their hilarious collection of scavenged VHS tapes to Memphis last night for one of the most hilarious, disturbing, and amazing evenings Memphis has seen in a long time.

- It’s officially rooftop party season in Memphis. The Peabody is having their first of the season tonight at 6 p.m. Lord T. and Eloise will be playing, and cover is $10 (and that includes your first drink).

- The Memphis Farmer’s Market opens on Saturday at the train station downtown. It’s possibly my favorite farmer’s market. They’ve got vendors carrying everything from fresh fruits and veggies to bread, cheese, meat and flowers. It runs from 7 a.m. – 1 p.m.

1. Pink Palace Crafts Fair, Audubon Park, 10/1 – 10/4, $7 adults

If you love all things handmade, make sure you get to Audubon Park for the Pink Palace Crafts Fair. You’ll find pottery, hand-knit sweaters and hats, jewelry, metal work and food. When you get there, make a beeline for the Culinary Crafts tent and park it in front of Guiseppe’s Pasta Sauce, because it’s possibly the best thing you’ll smell all week. There’s also a play area for kids, art demonstrations,  live music and food vendors (including a lot of local shops and several ladies sitting in giant lemons).

2. Fall Fruits and Veggies Day at the Memphis Farmer’s Market, Saturday 7 – 11  a.m.

The farmer’s market season is almost over, so head downtown to the Memphis Farmer’s Market for their fall fruits and veggies day. Pick up the last peaches, tomatoes and watermelons of the season and get ready for fall with pumpkins, apples, squash and amazing prepared soups, cheese, meat and bread. There will also be a talk on nutrition with fall produce and pet adoptions (sure to be adorable).

3.  Broad Ave. Arts Walk, Friday 10/2, 6-9 p.m.

The Broad Ave. Arts District is having its fourth annual arts walk tonight. Check out the galleries and studios in this up and coming neighborhood just north of Sam Cooper. After you check out the art openings, grab a beer at the Cove (one of two pirate bars in Memphis).

4. Music as Muse: Craig Brewer with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra, Saturday 10/3, 8 p.m., the Cannon Center

Local director Craig Brewer (Hustle and Flow, $5 Cover) has always been influenced by music. Saturday night, Brewer will talk about the music that’s inspired his work and the Memphis Symphony Orchestra will play some of his favorite classical pieces. There are still tickets available.

5. Greekfest, St. George Greek Orthodox Church, Saturday 10/3, $13

I love Greekfest – the music, the dancing, the clothes,the drive-thru.Yeah, there’s a drive-thru for busy people who want to get their delicious gyros and get on with their lives. If you’ve got the time, though, stick around for sanctuary tours, traditional dances, live music and the amazing phyllo pastries.

Memphis has some of the world’s most fantastic produce. Consider the Ripley tomato. Ripley tomatoes are grown just a little ways north of Memphis in Ripley, Tenn. I’m not sure what the nice people in Ripley do to their tomatoes, but they’re delicious – not too sweet, not to acidic. They’re also incredibly cheap and easy to find in Memphis from mid-summer to the beginning of October.

If you like peaches, forget Georgia – Tennessee peaches are just as good (and don’t have to travel as far to get here).

Where can you find such wonders? All over the place.

1. The Agricenter Farmers Market

Open daily Monday – Saturday, the Agricenter market is great for people that rock the suburbs. They have a huge variety of produce, homemade goods and crafts (check out the variety on the vendor list).

2. Memphis Botanic Garden Farmers Market

The Botanic Garden market is open on Wednesday afternoon from 2 p.m. – 6 p.m. (conveniently, the time when admission to the gardens is free). Get veggies, fruit, birdhouses, pottery and baked goods in the pine grove after you stroll the gardens.

3. Memphis Farmers Market

The Memphis Farmers Market is open every Saturday in the pavilion behind the train station downtown. Go for the amazing produce, inexpensive flowers, cooking demonstrations and music. They also have nice people who will keep an eye on your dog for free while you shop.

4. Easy Way

Sometimes, you just can’t make it to the farmers market. That’s where Easy Way comes in.  With the exception of the original Easy Way downtown, there are seven locations that sell nothing but produce. We’re talking all kinds of fruits, veggies, baked goods, seasonings, meat, eggs and cheese. The downtown location sells more regular grocery items. (Sidenote – if you’re used to the produce-only versions of the store, walking into the downtown store will kind of blow your mind.)

If you buy things in season, Easy Way can be insanely inexpensive. Not everything is organic or local, but it’s usually quality and the store is open year round. If it’s good for you, it’s probably at Easy Way.