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John Long shares this press release and photo of this year’s Salem Museum ornament:

We shop there for fresh veggies; we gather there for concerts and art exhibitions; we celebrate civic milestones as a community there. For folks in and around Salem, the Farmer’s Market is one of the greatest landmarks on Main Street. And now it can be a part of your holiday décor with the 2011 Salem Museum ornament.

“Last year we had a great response to our ornament featuring the Lake Spring Gazebo, so we wanted to highlight another beloved local landmark, “noted Salem Museum assistant director Helen Johnson. “The market is such an asset to our community and such a picturesque place at Christmas, we decided to make it our featured ornament for 2011.”

Although the Salem Farmer’s Market at Main and Broad today is one is a fairly new addition to the Salem landscape, a market like it dates back more than 200 years to the founding of Salem. As the only town located in the western part of what was then Botetourt County, Salem was the trading hub for the surrounding farmers to bring their crops to market. Today the function of the market has changed little as it remains one of the central hubs of the Salem community, serving not only as a market but as a concert venue, art gallery, and gathering to greet old friends.

The brass, three-dimensional ornament shows the Market in all its holiday finery. Passersby browse for wreaths and other greenery, while the City Christmas tree towers in the background. “This will be a great addition to any tree, but it’s a year-round ornament. Don’t pack it up on January 1^st!” Johnson added.

The new Farmer’s Market ornament sells for $19.95. Only 350 were produced, so quantities are limited. It comes packaged in an attractive gift box, and makes an ideal Holiday gift. A few of last year’s popular ornament featuring the Lake Spring Gazebo are also available. Proceeds from all sales go to support the activities of the Salem Museum.

The Gazebo ornament is available exclusively in the Salem Museum giftshop, which is open Tuesday to Friday, 10 to 4, and Saturday noon to five.

The Salem Museum is located in the antebellum Williams-Brown House of Longwood Park, at 801 East Main Street in Salem. No admission is charged for the Museum galleries.