The Ultimate Farmers Market Guide

By Courtney Niemann, TakePart

Supporting local farmers. Getting fresh (often organic) produce at the peak of ripeness. Giving your dollars to people who care about sustainable food. The reasons for shopping at your local farmers market are compelling — but finding the locations and schedules of markets in your area can be a hassle.

So we’ve done the legwork for you. Below, you’ll find quick links to farmers markets in 14 major U.S. cities (and a couple of national resources for good measure). No more excuses! Heirloom vegetables, fresh herbs and friendly people are just a click away.

National Resources

• Local Harvest: A database of organic food retailers ranging from grocers to farmers markets around the country
• National Farmers Market Directory: USDA’s guide including comprehensive maps, food guides and comparison apps

Boston

• Massachusetts Farmers Markets: List of hundreds of markets throughout the city with the option to set weekly reminders for your local market
• Sowa Open Market: Showcase of original art, clothing and accessories, gourmet food trucks, baked goods and local farmer’s produce
• Boston Public Market: A non-profit, volunteer-run organization
• Time Out Boston: A gallery of the best farmers markets Boston has to offer
• Boston Localvores: A resource for eating and buying local in Boston

Chicago

• Chicago Farmers Market: Schedules and locations of markets throughout Chicago and a chart of which fruits and vegetables you’ll find during each season
• Green City Market: A marketplace for purchasing sustainably grown food that educates, promotes and connects farmers and local producers directly to chefs, restaurants and the greater Chicago community
• Chicago Now: Guide to the best farmers markets in and out of the city
• North Shore Insider: Chicago’s North Shore top seven farmers markets

Columbus

• Clintonville Farmers Market: An outdoor seasonal market with the tagline, “Where you can meet the farmers”
• North Market: The founders believe “local, healthy, and sustainably grown food has the power to transform, to sustain and to build community in central Ohio”
• Smith Farm Market: A seasonal open-air market offering Ohio homegrown produce
• Farmers Market Columbus: Proceeds support Hope Thru Housing, a residential substance abuse program
• Pearl Market: An urban market with produce, hand-crafted merchandise and food

Dallas/ Fort Worth

• Dallas Farmers Market: Texas’ premier public market since 1941, located in the heart of the city and holds cooking classes and cultural festivals throughout the year
• Dallas News: Map of all the farmers markets around Dallas
• Frisco Farmers Market: Fresh local vegetables, meats, eggs, pasta, seafood, cheesecake, muffins, honey and more in Frisco
• Cowtown Farmers Market: Fort Worth’s original, producer-only farmers market meaning where everything sold is grown, raised or produced within 150 miles of Fort Worth

Detroit

• Detroit Eastern Market: Eastern Market is transformed every Saturday into an open-air marketplace with more than 250 independent vendors and merchants
• Grandmont Rosedale Development Corporation: Organizers of the Northwest Detroit Farmers Market, open every Thursday during the summer months
• Eastside Farmers Market: Volunteer -run organization featuring fruits and vegetables, baked goods and artisan products

Las Vegas

• Las Vegas Farmers Market: Held on Tuesday and Wednesday nights and the first and third Saturday morning each month
• Fresh 52: Open air market that features organic produce, freshly baked goods, gourmet dips and handmade crafts
• Bet On The Farm: B&B Hospitality Group hosts a green market every Thursday with goods from sustainable local farmers
• Downtown 3rd: Aims to be an “integral part of the hip, healthy family, the passionate entrepreneur or the savvy convention tourist who searches out the best in their quest to live a healthy lifestyle”
• Bountiful Baskets: Allows local shoppers to pre-order a basket of fresh produce to pick up on Saturday morning at one of the cooperatives sites

Los Angeles

• Farmer Net: Comprehensive list of certified farmers markets in LA
• Farmers Market LA: Billed as “The Original Farmers Market”
• Hollywood Farmers Market: An outdoor street market held every Sunday featuring live music and a variety of local produce and products
• Santa Monica’s Farmers Market: Open year-round every Wednesday and Saturday with fresh agricultural products from small farms
• LA Time’s Guide to Southern California’s Farmers Markets: Browse a full list of farmers markets by day, zip code, or name

Miami

• The Market Company: Weekly market held every Saturday with a variety of produce, plants and freshly prepared food
• Glaser Organic Farms: Glaser Organic farms hosts, with raw food pizzas and a gourmet salad bar in addition to typical market offerings.
• Opa Lacka Hialeah Flea Market: Open every day of the year with more than 50 vendors selling local and exotic fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices
• Harvest Markets: Earth Learning operates two producer-based farmers markets serving a large part of Miami-Dade area

Minneapolis

• Minneapolis Farmers Market: Daily market of fresh local foods from the Central Minnesota Vegetable Growers Association
• Mill City Farmers Market: “Healthy Foods, Local Farmers” runs from May through October
• Mid Town Farmers Market: Striving to be sustainable and affordable for all Twin Cities residents
• Farmers Market Annex: Part of the largest open air market in the region featuring locally grown produce and handcrafted items
• King Field Farmers Market: Now in their 12th year, they are also assisting six smaller markets in new neighborhoods

New York

• Farmers Market Federation of NY: Provides a market profile directory of all the farmers markets in the state
• Grow NYC: Largest and most diverse outdoor urban farmers market network in the country
• What Is Fresh: Directory of local food and farmer’s markets in NY complete with lists of individual vendors at each market
• East New York Farms: Community-run market in Brooklyn
• Long Island Farmer Bureau: Listing of farmers markets on Long Island

Portland

• Portland Farmers Market: Six locations throughout the city with as many as 200 vendors serving customers the freshest local produce
• Irvington Farmers Market: Every Sunday starting June 3rd
• Brunswick Farmers Market: One of the oldest markets in the state

San Diego

• San Diego Farm Bureau: List of almost 50 farmers markets found in San Diego County
• Hillcrest Farmers Market: Collection of 140 vendors providing fruit, product, gifts, arts and crafts and flowers
• Sunset Market: Offerings include an international food court, merchandise, live entertainment in additional to the traditional farmers market
• La Jolla Market: This weekly market serves as a fundraiser for La Jolla Elementary School
• Del Mar Farmers Market: This certified farmers market boasts of international cuisine and special events in additional to traditional food offerings

San Francisco

• Ferry Building Marketplace: This California certified farmers market is widely acclaimed for the quality and diversity of its products
• California Farmers Markets: Certified farmers markets around the Bay Area serving more than 22,000 households
• Heart of the City: Farmer-run since 1981 and held weekly in the United Nations Plaza
• Together in Food: Comprehensive list of all farmers markets in San Francisco
• Pacific Coast Farmers Market Association: Listing of certified farmers markets in the Bay Area

Seattle

• Washington State Farmers Market Association: Find farmers markets near you
• Pike Place Market: Internationally recognized as America’s premier farmers market, open daily with more than 100 farmers renting space.
• Seattle Farmers Markets: Seven neighborhood farmers markets featuring only locally grown foods
• Ballard Farmers Market: European-style, sustainable markets that celebrate taste and community
• Queen Anne Farmer’s Market: The only independent farmers market in Seattle

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