Although several of the region's farmers markets stay open up to Thanksgiving, they're almost all closed for the season after the holiday.

The Downtown Thursday market -- moved from Market Square to beside the Hilton Hotel -- had its last day last week. We bought a final slice of blackberry pie (OK, and a whole cherry pie and raspberry cream pie) from the Sand Hill Berries folks and told them we'd see them in the spring. We weren't the only wistful customer.

The Citiparks markets are on their last legs, too.

The Original Farmers Night Market in South Fayette is open 4:30 to 7 p.m. tonight as well as on Thanksgiving eve -- going then is a tradition for some folks -- and then it closes until May.

One market has figured out a way to keep on going.

Some vendors at the Main Street Farmers Market in Washington, which ran through October, have moved indoors -- into a local flower shop -- and are selling their wares at The Winter Market at Ivy Green.

"It was right outside my door," says Melissa Mega, owner of Ivy Green Florist, says of the market, whose vendors were "interested in expanding the season."

She cooked up this idea with vendor Alisa Fascnacht of Emerald Valley Farms, which sells cheese at the market. Ms. Mega added a refrigerated case, did some rearranging and voila, one corner of the shop has become a mini farmers market.

Customers can get Emerald Valley cheeses, as well as Antoinette's Biscotti (delivered fresh on Thursdays); Wood Street Bakery bread (also delivered on Thursdays); Tally Hollow Farms pasture-raised chicken (frozen) and soup mixes; Strath en De Farm grass-fed beef (also frozen; and Garden Givings dried flowers and arrangements.

Ms. Mega is offering gift baskets of the products, too.

She said the first real day of the indoor market was last week but the response has been good from loyal customers who don't want to give up favorite products for months.

Maybe more markets can pick up on this.

The Ivy Green Florist, at 1431/2 South Main St. in Washington is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays (724-222-4894).

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