Farmer’s markets grow in popularity

Came across this article in this morning's Journal - News. A really great article about our local Farmer's Markets here in and around Butler County. You can read the entire article by clicking the link at the bottom of the post.


Farmer’s markets grow in popularity
More people seek affordable goods that support communities.

With an estimated 1,000 farmer’s markets, farm stands and pick-your-own fields and orchards in Ohio, local-grown produce and foods are easily available.

“Within the past year or two, there have been markets popping up all over,” said Lori Panda of the Ohio Proud program, part of the Ohio Department of Agriculture. “People are interested in supporting their local economy and Ohio farmers. It’s bringing the community together.”

“Buying local” is exploding in popularity as people seek more affordable, chemical-free foods and goods that support their communities. Many markets are expanding to offer cooking demonstrations and educational programs that teach people how to prepare unfamiliar vegetables or grow their own.

“The challenge for the farm markets is it’s starting to get difficult to get vendors, especially on Saturdays, because there’s so many markets and they’re so popular,” Panda said.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s annual survey showed 278 farmer’s markets in Ohio in 2011.

‘That community feeling’

One of the state’s oldest markets is Dayton’s PNC
2nd Street Market, a
MetroParks facility, whose roughly 45 vendors saw more than 3,800 patrons on the last Saturday in May.

“We started (in the 1980s) as the Wegerzyn Market, open Saturdays on a seasonal basis,” said market manager Jimmy Harless. “Ten years ago, we converted an old freight depot, and we’ve been here ever since. Half our vendors have been here all 10 years.”

The Market is open Thursdays through Sundays, and just opened its seasonal outdoor market featuring local growers.

Harless said a new generation has grown up with recycling and organic foods and is helping to boost local farming and public markets, both as producers and purchasers.

“It’s become sort of like Main Street Dayton,” he said. “It’s that community feeling. And it’s not contrived. It’s the real thing with the real people who made the food.”

A few blocks away, the community spirit is strong at the all-volunteer Garden Station park, which features community gardens, paintings and sculptures by local artists and performance spaces. The site offers the county’s only Sunday farmer’s market, with about five vendors and an average 60 customers per week.

“We’ve added sustainable living workshops and demonstration market gardens to teach and promote more urban agriculture,” said organizer Lisa Helm-Hancock. “It’s about teaching people to take care of themselves. There’s not enough local, organic produce to support local restaurants — they can’t keep up with the demand.”

Farmer’s markets near you

The following farmer’s markets and farm markets are listed on www.ohioproud.org, part of the Ohio Proud agriculture marketing program of the state’s Department of Agriculture...

Read the entire article with lists of Markets by clicking link below:

http://www.journal-news.com/lifestyle/food-and-recipes/farmers-markets-grow-in-popularity-1386773.html