Farmer’s Market

In Philadelphia there a several year round and some seasonal farmer’s markets all throughout the city. The Food Trust [http://thefoodtrust.org/] is the main organizer. For more information on the Farmer’s Markets locations, hours, and stands use the following link: http://thefoodtrust.org/farmers-markets

I enjoy the excercise I get from walking to Clark Park in University City District on Thursday’s and Saturday’s for a bit of fresh produce. Produce is not the only thing you can find at the farmer’s market. The market set up in Clark Park has several produce stands, a flower stand, a fresh fish stand, a few stands selling meat of all kinds, an art stand or two, and a few informational stands. One of these informational stands has a cooking show that starts about the same time as the market opens. This show has neat little tips, fun quick recipes, and if you fill out the survey at the end you are given $4 dollars to spend as you please in the market. One weekend that amounted to me purchasing a large bunch of basil and some leafy green lettuces.

Some of the informational stands give handouts and often pertain to events occuring in the city. One weekend I picked up a magazine titled Fringe Festival by FringeArts. This fesitval is an annual event that begins in September and ends in December. The magazine has descriptions of all the art events to be staged around the city from performances, to music, to gallery openings, to interactive sculptures in the parks. Had I not gone to the Farmer’s Market that saturday I probably would have found out after the events occured. The Farmer’s Market and Clark Park are great places to learn a little more about the area while interacting with the local community.

If you’re in Philadelphia I highly reccomend the walk to the nearest Farmer’s Market, if Clark Park is too far.