ENID — Enid Farmers Market is ready to put down its roots. That being said, organizers are transplanting them for their opening weekend.

The market made its debut in spring 2009 and quickly became a popular Saturday morning stop for many looking for fresh, Oklahoma-grown produce, meat, flowers, crafts and even entertainment.

This year, the market will open once again on Saturday mornings — 8 to 11 — at the corner of Grand and Garriott, said Corey Groendyke, Enid Farmers Market executive director.

Opening day is May 1 and coincides with the annual Tri-State Music Festival events, which traditionally feature a parade and grand concert downtown.

Groendyke said Enid Farmers Market officials decided this year to move the market downtown during in-season parade events, which would consist of Tri-State and Cherokee Strip Days in September. Enid Farmers Market wraps up along with the growing season in October.

Fresh off of an off-season volunteer drive that drew in an “overwhelming response” to the market, Groendyke said she is looking forward to the facility’s future and continuing momentum started during its debut year.

“If you look across the state and you look nationwide, the growth of this market ... we far surpassed the other markets out there,” Groendyke said, adding that was in terms of vendor growth and community support. “That’s something we should really be proud of ... It reflects on the community at large.”

Part of the discussion over the winter involved setting official goals for the market that will leave it at home at Grand and Garriott. There had been some talk about moving the market, specifically to a downtown location as part of an overall city plan to open the area to more events.

“We’re going to stay in our same location, period,” she said.

She said market officials believe the location is right, and the current depot would make a great indoor facility to allow vendors to create their products in a commercial kitchen to meet state laws.

Other goals include a structure for vendors and a fully concreted market place.

Groendyke said the plan is to seek money through grants and a capital campaign to improve the site and refurbish the building, which would be used as an educational area in addition to a central kitchen.

There is a lot of interest in this city to educate on nutrition and gardening, she said, and Enid Farmers Market is a natural venue for patrons who want to learn more to come.

Space at the current area is tight, Groendyke said, which is why organizers initially looked at other sites, but the more the group studied their options the more the current location seemed the right fit for their goals.

“I think that there are large cities who manage to use their space well ...” Groendyke said. “I think we can do that as well. We will make it user-friendly.”

While those goals will wait for the future, and funding, Groendyke said thanks to the new volunteers coming on board, she and others can focus more toward meeting those goals.

And there is plenty now to introduce to the market pa-trons, she said.

Enid Farmers Market will begin a compost pile on site and ask for the community’s involvement in making it grow.

“It’s a great learning tool for kids and adults, as well,” Groendyke said, “to learn how to make rich soil.”

That soil will be used in a 2011 community garden project, she said.

Another plan is bringing the market in line with state senior nutrition and food stamp programs, so those with food cards can use them to purchase market items.

A growing calendar will be produced to show those wanting produce when the growing season is in the state, since Enid Farmers Market is an Oklahoma-grown market.

“We’ve got all kinds of new stuff on the horizon,” Groendyke said.

This year the market continues to be only Saturday mornings, but the 2011 plan includes opening on Tuesday evenings.

Some of the favorite vendors returning this year, she said, are Cattle Tracks Beef, an organic meat business; Wagon Creek Creamery, which sells dairy products; and Foundation Farms, offering anything from handmade products to produce.

The list of vendors still is in the works, she said.

Growing up in California, Groendyke was used to seeing and attending markets, especially during her college years.

Upon moving to Oklaho-ma, she said she noticed the lack of a market system but only became involved in creating Enid Farmers Market at the request of eventual vendors and customers looking for outlets.

It took some work, but the market is 100 percent compliant with state health and agricultural departments and the city of Enid.

“We chose not to be a drop-your-tailgate farmers market,” Groendyke said. “We wanted to do it right, and a lot of research goes into that.”