Community Garden Magazine Issue Five January 2016 | Page 68

Winter …The Perfect Time to Visit a Farmers
Market
Posted by Arthur Neal, Deputy Administrator, AMS Transportation and Marketing, on
December 15, 2011 at 2:36 PM

A winter market in Rochester, NY. There are more than 1,200 operating winter farmers markets across the nation. You can
find a market near you by using the USDA National Farmers Market Directory.

Traditionally, the onset of winter meant the end of farmers market season.
However, in recent years, winter farmers markets have become increasingly
popular. According to the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), there
are over 1,200 of these farmers markets operating across the country. This is
almost a 38 percent increase from last year.
From 2010 to 2011, the number of winter markets in New York, the top state for
these markets, increased from 152 to 180. The state has been the recipient of
several grants to support and promote access to healthy foods. For example, New
York’s Oneida County received grant funds to develop a year-round market in
downtown Utica.
For consumers, winter farmers markets provide an opportunity to enjoy winter
crops like squash and pears, fresh from their local farmers. For the farmers and
vendors who sell at the markets, it means increased financial opportunities. “Our

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