To Market To Market 08.26.2010

• Governor Bill Richardson has committed $50,000 in Recovery Act funds to give New Mexicans who participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) more options to purchase fresh food and produce. If someone in the program buys $10 worth of produce at a farmers market the state will match that by adding another $10 to that person’s benefits, which must be used at the market. There are currently 13 New Mexico farmers markets capable of accepting SNAP benefits. [GovMonitor]
  

• The Wallingford Farmers Market in Seattle is moving. As of next week's market on Wednesday, September 1, the market will be located on the east side of Wallingford Ave between 44th and 45th Streets. At community meeting to discuss the future of the market will be held Tuesday, August 31, at 7pm at the Wallingford Senior Center at the Good Shepherd Center, 4649 Sunnyside Ave N. [Seattle P-I]

• Downtown Bay City Farmers' Market is holding its first ever The Best Pie in Bay City contest. Pies can be entered in two categories, Fruit and Other (pecan, sweet potato, etc.) Deadline for entires is September 9. Judging begins at noon September 16 at the market.[MLive]

Market Day: Langley Community Farmers Market

Market Day at Langley Community Farmers Market in British Columbia.

This is a seasonal open air market featuring more than 30 vendors that “Make it, Bake it or Grow it.”

Held Wednesdays, 3 - 7pm May - October in the Glover Road Parking Lot on the Kwantlen University Campus at 20901 Langley Bypass in Langley, British Columbia.

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To Market To Market 08.24.2010

• Four hundred and eighty people taste tested 50 gallons of salsa made by 17 competitors in just two hours during the third annual Salsa Showdown at the Holland Farmers Market on Saturday. Latin Americans United for Progress won first place in the amateur division, New Holland Brewing Co. took first place in the professional division, and Magnanimous Salsa of Grand Rapids was the winner of the People’s Choice trophy. [Holland Sentinel]

Market Day: Ramsey Farmers Market

Market Day at Ramsey Farmers Market in New Jersey

Held Sundays 9am - 2pm in parking lot adjacent to the Ramsey Train Station at Erie Plaza off Main Street.

This is a new seasonal open air market in 2010 with more than two dozen vendors selling organic and farm fresh produce, organic and free trade coffee and teas, organic maple syrup, artisan breads and cheeses, local farm fresh eggs, handmade soap, honey, spices, etc.

Ramsey Farmers Market
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Hawaii: South Kona Green Market

This year-round open air market features 40+ vendors offering 100% Kona Coffee, fresh produce and herbs, local artwork, Hawaiian plants and flowers, natural health and beauty products, prepared food and desserts, live music and cultural demonstrations.

Held Sundays, 9 am to 1 pm year-round at the Kealakekua Ranch Center behind ChoiceMart and Ace Hardware in Captain Cook, Hawaii.

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To Market To Market 08.18.2010

• Franklin Farmers Market in Tennessee has started a Tuesday afternoon market this summer, in addition to its year-round Saturday market, to cope with customer demand and the growing numbers of farmers wanting to sell their wares. The Tuesday market is open from 3:30 to 6 p.m. through September. [tennessean]

• Plans to expand the Davenport Freight House Farmers’ Market in Iowa into a year-round market are being opposed by vendors who don't want to become permanent operators and cannot provide year-round products. City officials will hold a special meeting within the next few weeks to make a final decision.[whbf]

• The Lackawanna County Commissioners, in conjunction with the Lackawanna County Department of Arts and Culture, will be providing music at the Scranton Cooperative Farmers Market in Pennsylvania. Located off Providence Road and Albright Avenue, the market will be offering live music 1 to 2:30 p.m. on Mondays through September. [AbingtonJournal]

To Market To Market 8.17.2010

• The Okolona Farmers Market in Louisville, Kentucky, is holding a contest to select the area's best homemade salsa. The contest, which is not open to vendors, will begin at 6 p.m. August 24. Each salsa must be rated mild, medium or hot, and contestants bring chips to serve with their salsa. [courier-journal]
  

Idaho: Ketchum Farmer's Market

This is a seasonal open air market located in the Sun Valley resort area of Idaho.

Held Tuesdays, 2:30 - 6pm from June through October at the intersection of East Avenue and 4th Street, in Ketchum, Idaho.

Ketchum Farmer's Market
Idaho Farmers Markets Directory
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To Market To Market 08.14.2010

• The Forest Grove Farmers Market in Oregon has been awarded a $35,000 national grant from the Catholic Campaign for Human Development. Operated by the non-profit Adelante Mujeres, the market offers intensive, practical booth management training programs for new vendors. [OregonLive]

To Market To Market 08.13.2010

• Dozens of Massachusetts families are taking part in the Fruit and Veggie Prescription Program, a mostly privately funded pilot project that aims to increase access to fresh foods by providing farmers’ market coupons. The program is based in community health centers in Lawrence, Holyoke, and Boston and the coupons can be used at area farmers markets. [BostonGlobe]

New Hampshire: Weare Farmers Market

This is a seasonal open air market with several certified organic vendors, as well as conventional vendors, offering eggs, veggies, meat, milk, soaps, local art, fiber and more.

Held Fridays, 3 -6pm from June through October at 1436 S. Stark Hwy in Weare, New Hampshire

Weare Farmers Market
New Hampshire Farmers Markets Directory
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New Jersey: West Milford Farmer's Market

This is a seasonal open air market with vendors selling fresh local fare, including vegetables, fruit, locally raised meats, eggs, freshly baked breads (of local ingredients) crafts and more.

Held Wednesdays, 3 - 7pm, from June through October in the parking lot of Our Lady Queen of Peace Church at 1911 Union Valley Road in Hewitt, New Jersey.

West Milford Farmer's Market
New Jersey Farmers Markets Directory
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To Market To Market 08.10.2010

• Parkersburg Farmer's Market in West Virginia has been awarded a $5,000 U.S. Department of Agriculture grant for advertising and promotions. The money will be used to promote the market's specialty crops. [WTAP]
• The Rochester Downtown Farmers Market in Minnesota will host the Toyota Farm to Table Tour on Saturday, August 14. A showcase of the connection between area farmers, chefs, farmers markets and the communities they serve, the event will feature chefs preparing bite-sized tastings with ingredients from the the market.[Postbulletin]
• The Downtown Farmer's Market in Salt Lake City, Utah, will host the Toyota Farm to Table Tour on Saturday, August 21. A dozen Utah chefs will be paired with a local farmer and will create complimentary bites for visitors. [Salt Lake Tribune]
  
  
  

To Market To Market 08.09.10

• Lexington's Farmers' Market in Massachusetts has been named the best farmers' market in Boston by Boston Magazine. The magazine praised the market's ever-expanding list of vendors "which sell everything from fresh mozzarella to hummus to recently picked flowers and produce" as well as its classes on topics such as raising backyard chickens. [Boston.com]
• Wisconsin's “Pickle Bill," passed earlier this year, allows small farmers to sell up to $5,000 worth of canned goods at Wisconsin farmers markets without a state license. The new law includes strict labeling guidelines and record-keeping on of every batch of goods sold for at least two years. [SuperiorTelegram]
  
  
  
  
  

To Market To Market 08.07.2010

• Although farmers market shoppers usually expect great produce at great prices, a recent TV news crew visit to the Dallas Farmer's Market in Texas with Chef Helen Duran "found many prices were no better than the grocery stores and in some cases the quality wasn't as good." [WFAA]

To Market To Market 08.06.2010

• The City of Overland Park will take control of the operations of the Overland Park Farmer's Market in Kansas beginning in 2011. The city has been investigating operations of the market since early May when complaints surfaced publicly when several vendors picketed following a decision not to let them return this year. The vendors suggested their ouster was related to their price-fixing claims against the Downtown Overland Park Partnership, which currently operates the market. [KansasCity.com]
• The number of U.S. farmers markets increased by 16% in 2010, according to the USDA - from 5,247 in 2009 to 6,132 at latest count. Midwest states demonstrated the greatest growth: 77% in Missouri, 61% in Minnesota, 60% in Michigan. There were 886 farmers markets open during the off-season, the USDA reported in its first-ever tracking of winter markets. [Open Air Farmers Markets Directory]
  

To Market To Market 08.05.2010

• United States Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack proclaimed August 1-7, 2010 as the 11th annual National Farmers Market Week, recognizing farmers markets as being excellent sources of affordable and healthful fresh fruits and vegetables to the nation’s communities. This year marks Since the USDA began declaring National Farmers Market Week in 2000, the number of farmers markets has nearly doubled, from 2,863 markets in 2000 to 5,274 in 2009.
• To celebrate National Farmers’ Market week, Woodbine Farmers’ Market is giving away $40 in Farmers’ Market bucks. Contestants must show up at the market (Tuesdays, 4 - 7pm) and enter a drawing. At the close of the day, one winning entry will be drawn. The $40 can be used at any of the vendors at the market and can be spent at anytime in the 2010 season. [WoodbineFarmersMarket]