Farmers' Markets

Philadelphia

Urban market places are as old as civilization and played an important role in the formation of cities and the civic life of their citizens. Today, outdoor seasonal farmers' markets reflect these origins by providing a civilized and democratic gathering place for people to meet and purchase agricultural products from the region. More and more families and culinary professionals realize the importance of locally grown food for the health of their family members and customers, for the survival of family farms, for the preservation of farmland and open space, and for the security of the region's food supply. For these reasons, more and more families are shopping at farmers' markets.

MARKETS FOR THE 2008 SEASON

REAL FARMERS, REAL FOOD!!!

This season Farm to City operates 15 farmers' markets including 13 established markets and two new markets: City Hall Farmers' Market in the courtyard of City Hall and the Jefferson Farmers' Market at 10th and Chestnut. In addition to a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, many of the markets feature meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products from pastured animals. Our list also includes an affiliate farm stand market operated by the West Girard Community Council.

See notice on Chestnut Hill Grower's Market in red at bottom of this page (will open May 10th).

When cows, pigs, sheep, chickens, and other animal we raise are allowed to eat their natural diet - grass - they produce superior quality meat, eggs, and milk. The farmers who raise their livestock on pasture typically do not feed them antibiotics nor inject them with hormones. Research shows that grass-fed beef, chicken and their eggs have higher omega-3 fatty acids, more favorable omega-3 to omega-6 ratios, and lower cholesterol than the poor beasts stuffed with corn in feed-lots. They are healthy animals and the products made from them are better for people. The farmers who offer meat, dairy, and chicken at our markets are:

Tom Forrest (Chestnut Hill, Fountain and Swarthmore markets)
Carl Farley (Rittenhouse Saturday)
John Marshall (South & Passyunk and Rittenhouse Tuesday)
Rod Wieder (bison at Oakmont)
Axel Linde (Oakmont - chicken)
Dwayne Livengood (South & Passyunk)
Daniel Landis (Chestnut Hill and Swarthmore)
Daryl Rineer (South & Passyunk, Rittenhouse Tuesday and Saturday, Chestnut Hill, and Jefferson)

Please support these farmers this year so they do well enough to continue at our markets.

MARKET LISTING

Tuesdays

South & Passyunk Farmers' Market - Opens May 6
Off South Street just east of 5th. Organic and conventional produce; meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products from pastured animals; organic bread; cut flowers; 2 to 7 pm, through November 25th.

Rittenhouse Farmers' Market - May 13
Walnut Street on south sidewalk west of 18th Street. Fruits and vegetables, cut flowers, and meat, eggs, and dairy products from pastured animals. Tuesdays, 10 am to 1 pm.

Wednesdays

City Hall Farmers' Market - Opens May 14
Interior courtyard of Philadelphia City Hall. Fruits, vegetables, herbs, preserve, cut flowers, baked goods, and maybe seafood. Two youth groups will have stands selling vegetables they grow. Noon to 6 pm, through November.

University Square Farmers' Market - Opens May 7th
36th at Walnut Street. Organic and conventional vegetables; tree fruit and berries; Amish canned and baked goods; dairy products; European-style baked goods. Wednesdays, 10 am to 2 pm through November 26th. Local partner is the University of Pennsylvania. Go to http://upenn.edu

Oakmont Market (Havertown) Opens May 21st
Oakmont Municipal Parking Lot, Darby Road just west of Eagle Road. Fruits and vegetables, cut flowers; pastured meat, eggs, and cheese; baked goods; 3 - 7 pm; through November 26th. Go to http://oakmontfarmersmarket.org

Fountain Farmers' Market - Opens May 21st
Passyunk and Tasker. Fruits and vegetables, cut flowers, baked goods. Wednesdays, 3 - 7 pm, through October 24th. Local partner is the East Passyunk Business Improvement District. Got to http://www.visiteastpassyunk.com

Girard & 27th Farm Stand Market, opening to be announced
Fruits and vegetables Wednesdays, noon - 3 pm, through October. A Farm to City Affiliate Market; the West Girard Community Council is the local sponsor and market operator. Go to http://www.westgirardcc.org.

Thursdays

Weavers Way Farmers' Market - Opens May 22nd
Carpenter Lane and Greene Street in front of High Point Café. Fruits, vegetables, dairy products, eggs, Amish canned and baked goods, cut flowers, seedlings, and potted plants. Weavers Way Farm at Awbury Arboretum grows crops for this market. Thursdays, 3 to 7 pm; through October 29th. Local sponsor is Weavers Way Co-op. Go to http://weaversway.coop

Jefferson Farmers' Market - Opens May 22nd
On Chestnut Street east of 10th Street. Fruits, vegetables, honey, meat. Thursdays, noon to 5:30 pm; through October 29th. Local sponsor is Jefferson Hospital. Go to http://JeffersonHospital.org

Fridays

Roxborough Farmers' Market - Opens June 6th
Ridge Avenue at entrance to Leverington Ave. parking lot. Fruits and vegetables, eggs, Amish canned products, baked goods, and crafts; Fridays, 2 to 6 pm; through October 31st.

East Falls Farmers' Market - Opens June 6th
Midvale Avenue near Ridge Avenue. Fruits and vegetables, eggs, Amish canned products, baked goods, and crafts; Fridays, 3:30 to 7 pm; through October 26th. Local partner is the East Falls CDC. Go to http://www.eastfallsdevelopment.org/community_link.php

Saturdays

Rittenhouse Farmers' Market - Opens May 10th
Walnut Street on south sidewalk west of 18th Street. Fruits and vegetables; meats, eggs and dairy products from pastured animals; cut flowers and plants; Saturdays, 10 am to 3 pm, through November 22nd.

Chestnut Hill Growers Market - Opens May 10 at the regular site, Winston Road between Germantown Avenue and Mermaid Lane. Note that construction blocks all traffic on Germantown Avenue across Cresheim Valley Drive May 10.
Organic and conventional produce; meat, poultry, chicken, eggs, and dairy products from pastured animals; cut flowers; candles. Saturdays, 9:30 am to 1:30 pm, through November 22nd.

Swarthmore Farmers' Market - Opens May 17th
In front of the Swarthmore Co-op. Fruits and vegetables; sweet and savory organic preserves; pastured meats, dairy products, poultry, and eggs; baked goods and cheese, prepared foods by local businesses. Saturdays, 10 am to 2 pm, through November 17th. Local partners the SwarthmoreTown Center Program. Go to http://www.swarthmore.coop

This page was updated on May 7, 2008