Farmers Market Guide 2011: Coast to Coast

During the summer, one of the best ways to spend a weekend morning is at the local farmer's market, sampling whatever's in season. We've updated last year's guide to offer you a more comprehensive list of some of the best farmers markets in the country, along with hours, locations, and links to other markets in each state. Enjoy!

California

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• Ferry Plaza Farmers Market : San Francisco's Ferry Building hosts three markets per week: Tuesdays from 10 am to 2 pm, Thursdays from 10 am to 2 pm, and Saturdays (the largest and most popular market with special demos and events) from 8 am to 2 pm.
• Hollywood Farmers Market : Located at Ivar and Selma Avenue in Los Angeles, it's open on Sundays from 8 am to 1 pm. This open air market has over 90 farmers, 30 local artisans, and 30 bakers. Free special events regularly include chef's demos and cookbook signings.
• Santa Barbara Farmers' Market : A year-round Saturday market, the weather is almost always warm here and the stalls are filled with Southern California produce: strawberries, dates, avocados, and bunches of daisies. There are also rotating weekly locations during the summer.

Colorado

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• Boulder County Farmers Market : Next to Central Park on 13th Street between Arapahoe and Canyon in downtown Boulder, the market is open Saturdays from 8 am to 2 pm and Wednesdays from 4 pm to 8 pm. Shop for "locally grown vegetables, meats, fruits, flowers, plants, gourmet cheeses and wines."

Florida

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• Lincoln Road Farmers market : Located in South Beach on Lincoln Road between Meridian and Washington Avenues, this open air market takes place year-round on Sundays from 9 am to 6:30 pm. There's a special organic market in front of the Lincoln Theatre.

Georgia

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• Atlanta State Farmers Market : Located in Forest Park off I-75, this market covers 150 acres and is one of the largest of its kind. It includes a garden center, wholesale, and retail areas, and it's open to the public daily, with shopping hours from 7 am to 3 pm.
• Forsyth Farmers Market : Run by the Savannah Local Food Collaborative with a mission to make fresh, healthy food readily accessible, the market is open every Saturday from 9 am to 1 pm in the south end of Forsyth Park.

Illinois

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• Green City Market : From May through October, the Green City Market is open every Wednesday and Saturday from 7 am to 1 pm. In the winter, it moves indoors to 2430 N Cannon Drive. Alice Waters called it "the best sustainable market in the country."

Kentucky

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• Lexington Farmers Market : From April through November the market is open 4 days a week in shifting outdoor locations: Saturdays 7 am to 3 pm, Sundays 10 am to 2 pm, Tuesdays and Thursdays 7am to 4 pm. From December to mid-April the market operates in Victorian Square Plaza.

Louisiana

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• The French Market : The French Market District has 6 blocks of shops, restaurants, flea markets, and a newly renovated farmers market open daily and year-round from 9 am to 6 pm. Originally founded as a trading post in the 1770s, it's the country's oldest farmers market.

Maryland

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• Baltimore Farmers Market & Bazaar : From April through December, the Downtown Farmer's Market is open every Sunday from 7 am to 12 pm. Located at 407 East Saratoga Street, it's under the Jones Falls Expressway overpass.

Massachusetts

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• Copley Square & City Hall Farmers Market : On Mondays and Wednesdays, check out Boston's City Hall Market at 100 Cambridge Street. On Tuesdays and Fridays, go to the Copley Square Market at 139 Saint James Ave. Both markets are open May through November, 11 am to 6 pm.

Michigan

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• Detroit Eastern Market : Every Saturday year-round from 5 am to 5 pm, the Eastern Market (2934 Russell Street) hosts 250 independent local vendors. The 119-year-old market draws up to 40,000 visitors on a busy weekend.
• Ann Arbor Farmers Market : Located in the historic Kerrytown District, the Ann Arbor Farmers market is a producers-only market open year round. The summer hours are Wednesday and Saturday from 7 am to 3 pm and Wednesday evenings from 4:30 pm to 8 pm.

Minnesota

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• Mill City Farmers Market : Located along the River between the Mill City Museum and the Guthrie Theater in downtown Minneapolis, this market is in a great neighborhood with lots of attractions. It's open from May through October, Saturdays from 8 am to 1 pm.

Missouri

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• Soulard Farmers Market : Established in 1779, this is one of the country's oldest markets. It's been in its current location in the French Soulard neighborhood of St. Louis since 1838. Open year-round Wednesday to Friday from 8 am to 5 pm and Saturdays from 7 am to 5:30 pm.
• The City Market : Kansas City's largest farmers market is open from March through October and has over 140 vendor stalls. Hours are Saturdays from 6 am to 3 pm and Sundays from 8 am to 3 pm. In the winter, the City Market shrinks to 30 full-time vendors.

New Mexico

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• Santa Fe Farmers Market : What began with a handful of farmers in the late 1960s is now New Mexico’s largest farmers market. You can find it in the Santa Fe Railyard Tuesdays and Saturdays from 7 am until noon. There's also a New Mexico Artisans market on Sundays, 10am to 4pm.

New York

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• Grand Army Plaza Greenmarket : Open Saturdays from 8 am to 4 pm at Grand Army Plaza (Flatbush Avenue/Prospect Park West), this is Brooklyn's largest farmers market, with a diverse selection of produce, plants, and flowers.
• Union Square Greenmarket : Manhattan's largest farmers market, it covers 2 acres and is open year-round on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 8 am to 6 pm. During the summer, there's a full schedule of events, including cooking demos and book signings.

Ohio

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• The West Side Market : Dating back to 1840, the West Side Market is Cleveland's oldest publicly owned market. The market is located on the corner of West 25th and Lorain and is open Monday and Wednesday from 7 am to 4 pm and Friday and Saturday from 7 am to 6 pm.

Oregon

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• Portland Farmers Market : Located at Portland State University, this farmers market is open March through October on Saturdays from 8:30 am to 2 pm. In November and December, it's open Saturdays from 9 am to 2 pm.

Pennsylvania

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• Reading Terminal Market : Philadelphia has lots of great farmers markets, but one of the best known is Reading Terminal, established in 1893. Located in the city center at 12th and Arch Streets, it's open Monday through Saturday, 8 am to 6 pm, and Sunday from 9 am to 5 pm.

Texas

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• Austin Farmers Market : It takes place in 3 main locations: Downtown on Saturdays from 9 am to 1 pm (at 4th and Guadalupe), in Sunset Valley on Saturdays from 9 am to 1 pm (3200 Jones Road) and at the Triangle (46th and Lamar) on Wednesdays from 4 pm to 8 pm.
• Canino Produce : Located in a huge 20,000 square foot space, Canino Produce has been Houston's farmers market since 1958. It's a covered market that's open year-round every day from 6 am to 8:30 pm. Canino specializes in local farmer's produce.
• Dallas Farmers Market : Unofficially operated since the 1800s and officially established in 1941, this public market is open year-round, seven days a week, from 8 am to 6 pm. It's located at the intersection of Pearl and Cadiz streets.

Vermont

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• Capital City Farmers Market : The Capital City Farmers Market is a year-round market located on State Street in Montpelier. The market is open on Saturdays from 9 am to 1 pm. From December to April, the market moves to the gym at the Vermont College of Fine Arts.

Virginia

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• 17th Street Farmers Market : Established in 1779 in Richmond's Historic River District, this is one of America's oldest public markets. There's a Thursday Growers’ Market from 10 am to 7 pm, a Friday Market from 5 pm to 9 pm, a Saturday Growers’ Market from 10 am 4 pm, and a Sunday Vintage Market from 9 am to 4 pm.

Washington State

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• University District Farmers Market : This is Seattle's oldest and largest farmers market. Located at the corner of University Way and NE 50th, it's open year-round on Saturdays from 9 am to 2 pm, and it hosts over 50 vendors.

Washington DC

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• Eastern Market : Located in a large building at 225 7th Street SE, this is DC's "oldest continually operated fresh food public market." It's open year-round daily from 7 am 7 pm, Saturdays from 7 am to 6 pm, Sundays from 9 am to 5 pm, and closed Mondays.

Wisconsin

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• Dane County Farmers Market : Held year-round on Saturdays, this market is one of the country's largest, with about 150 vendors who set up their stalls on the grounds of the state capitol building. In winter, the market moves indoors.

RELATED RESOURCES
• Top 10 US Farmers Markets Worth a Trip
• Farmers Market Guide 2010: 20 Cities, Coast to Coast
• Best Carry-All Bags for Flea and Farmers Markets

Top Photo: Ed Yourdon used under Creative Commons License 2.0

Article by Emily Nichols