With fresh ingredients on consumer’s minds, local farmers markets continue to grown in numbers and popularity.

When Winter’s frosty tendrils recede from the earth, the blossoming of a familiar social phenomenon is not far off. Along with flowers, budding trees, and greening landscapes, neighborhood Farmers’ Markets start sprouting up with a growing vitality as summer rolls in.

These mid- and week-end events unroll themselves in both public and private spaces, to offer fresh produce and grass-fed meats, baked goods, crafted sauces and preserves, local honey, and free-range eggs.

They have a bit of the spirit of the caravan about them — part entertaining fair, part social event, part provider of necessities — that becomes the focal point for a public gathering and then rolls up its dozens of booths and spirits itself away until another time when it reappears to offer a movable feast of food and fun.

The resurgence of neighborhood Farmers’ Markets is showing particular vitality locally. Nearly 20 years ago, there were only three open on a regular basis. Now there are 42 or so, as varied in personality and offerings as their locations. Some are just a couple of farmers selling out of the back of a pickup. Others look like block parties, with live music and booths selling cooked food.

Public support, which is critical to the success of small markets, has grown for a variety of reasons. Markets are a different and engaging social event, but also a sign of a growing interest in how our food is grown and how it gets to us.

Those most likely to be steady patrons of farmers markets are sold on all the arguments against industrial agribusiness — CAFOs, carbon footprints, GMOs, ASH. (That’s confined animal feeding operations, genetically-modified organisms, and anti-biotics, steroids and hormones fed to livestock to fatten them faster on grain.)

But at local farmers markets, the theory and science and politics of local food is silently acknowledged, not vocally proselytized. Farmers markets are fun.
So, yes, people come to the markets to buy fresh, flavorful locally-raised food. And to learn about new kinds of radishes and heirloom tomatoes. And to schmooze with friends, smile at babies (and at babes), to scarf down a catfish omelet or freshly-baked sticky bun.

Fresh and local just tastes better. Ultimately it is the wonderful flavors of tomatoes, melons, peppers, and corn picked at their peak freshness which has people coming, and coming back for more. To get those not yet familiar with local farmers markets, we provide a list of where and when they are, and a ripening guide to let you know when to expect what.

KENTUCKY

  • 18th Street Farmers’ Market (Year Round) Wednesday – Saturday 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. 1811 Standard Avenue, 778-1672.
  • Bardstown Road Farmers’ Market (Year Round) Saturday 8 a.m. – noon, 1722 Bardstown Road (Presbyterian Church parking lot), 945-9161.
  • Beechmont Open Air Market (Mid June – mid Oct.) Saturday 8 a.m. – noon 4574 S. Third Street, (Beechmont Baptist Church parking lot), 367-2652.
  • Bluegrass Global Growers Market (mid June – Oct.) Wednesday 11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m., 4801 Southside Drive, 366-7813.
  • Broadway Baptist Church Farmers’ Market (May – Sept.) Saturday 8 a.m. – noon, 4000 Brownsboro Road.
  • California Neighborhood Farmers’ Maerket (Mid April – Oct.) Saturday 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., 2200 W. Kentucky Street, 776-1331.
  • Crescent Hill Farmers’ Market (Mid May – Oct.) Monday & Friday 7 a.m. – 10 a.m., 201 S. Peterson Avenue (Crescent Hill United Methodist Church parking lot), 968-3693.
  • Douglass Loop Farmers’ Market (Mid April – Dec.) Saturday 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. 2005 Douglass Boulevard, 452-2629.
  • Fern Creek Farmers Market (Mid May – mid Sept.) Saturday 8 a.m. – noon, 6104 Bardstown Road, 239-7550.
  • Gray Street Farmers Market (Mid May – Oct.) Thursday 10:30 a.m. – 2p.m., 400 E. Gray Street, 852-8781.
  • Growing Forward Refugee Farmers’ Market (Mid June – Oct.) Sunday 10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., 1960 Bardstown Road, 365-4713.
  • Hikes Point — Meadowview Farmers’ Market (Mid May – Sept.) Friday 3 p.m. – 6 p.m., 2944 Breckenridge Lane (Meadoview
  • Presbyterian Church), 648-0148.
  • Jeffersontown Farmers’ Market (Mid May – Oct.) Saturday 8 a.m. – noon and Tuesday 3 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., 10434 Watterson Trail (Jeffersontown Pavilion), 267-8333.
  • Louisville Farmers’ Market 1 (Mid May – Sept.) Saturdays 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., 7624 Shelbyville Road, 272-0077.
  • Louisville Farmers’ Market 2 (Mid May – Mid Sept.) Wednesday 3 p.m. – 6 p.m., 153 S. English Station Road, 272-0077.
  • Louisville Farmers’ Market 3 (Mid May – Sept.) Thursday 3 p.m. – 6 p.m., 1301 Herr Lane, 272-0077.
  • Lyndon Farmers’ Market (Mid May – Mid Oct.) Thursday 3 p.m. – 6 p.m., 7515 Westport Road, 425-2266.
  • Middletown Farmers’ Market (June – Sept.) Saturday 8:30 a.m. – noon, 11800 Shelbyville Road (Village Square Shopping Center).
  • Norton Commons Farmers’ Market (April – Oct.) Saturday 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., 9420 Norton Commons Boulevard.
  • Okolona Farmers’ Market (June – Oct.) Tuesday 3 p.m. – 7 p.m., 8620 Preston Highway, 633-9590.
  • Old Louisville FarmWorks Market (Mid May – Oct.) Wednesday 3 p.m. – 6 p.m., 1101 S. Third Street (Walnut Street Baptist Church parking lot), 348-8251.
  • Phoenix Hill NuLu Farmers’ Market (Mid May – Oct.) Tuesday 3 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., 1007 E. Jefferson Street (Felice Plaza parking lot), 583-1733.
  • Rainbow Blossom Farmers’ Market (Mid May – Oct.) Sunday noon – 4 p.m., 3738 Lexington Road, 896-0189.
  • Rowan Street Farmers’ Market (Mid June – Oct.) Tuesday and Thursday 8 a.m. – noon, 3360 Commerce Center Place, 510-0819.
  • Russell Neighborhood Farmers’ Market (June – Oct.) Friday 3 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., S. 22nd Street and Cedar Street, 775-4041.
  • St. Andrews Farmers’ Market (May – Oct.) Thursday 3 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., 2608 Browns Lane, 643-6584.
  • St. Francis in the Fields Farmers’ Market (June – Nov.) Saturday 9:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. and Tuesday 3 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., 6710 Wolf Pen Branch Road, 968-3693.
  • St. Matthews Farmers’ Market (Mid May – Sept.) Saturday 8 a.m. – noon, 4100 Shelbyville Road (Beargrass Christian Church), 905-7278.
  • Smoketown-Shelby Park Farmers’ Market (Mid May – Oct.) Saturday 9 a.m. – noon, 828 S. Jackson Street (Myzeek Middle School).
  • Southwest Farmers’ Market (June – Oct.) Saturday 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., 10200 Dixie Highway (Valley High School), 744-7523.
  • Spalding Farmers’ Market (June – Oct.) Monday 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., 845 S. Third Street, 775-4041.
  • Temple Farmers’ Market (April – Nov.) Tuesdays and Thursdays 3 p.m. – 7 p.m., 5101 US Hwy 42, 423-1818.
  • Tower View Farm and Nursery Farmers’ Market (Year Round) Monday-Saturday 8 a.m. -7 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., 12523 Taylorsville Road, 267-2066.
  • Westport Road Baptist Farmers’ Market (May – Oct.) Saturday 9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., 9705 Westport Road, 252-1400.
  • Whole Foods Farmers’ Market (Mid May – Sept.) Wednesday 3 p.m. – 7p.m., 4944 Shelbyville Road, 899-5545.
  • Victory Park Farmers’ Market (June – Oct.) Saturday noon – 3 p.m., S. 22nd Street and Kentucky Street, 775-4041.

INDIANA

  • Jeffersonville Farmers’ Market (June – Mid Oct.) Saturday 9 a.m. – noon and Tuesday 3 p.m. – 6 p.m., 240 Wall Street(Wall Street United Methodist Church), Jeffersonville, IN, (812) 283-0301.
  • New Albany Farmers’ Market (June – Sept.) Wednesday 4 p.m. – 7 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., 202 E. Market Street, New Albany, IN, 905-3640.
  • The Farmers Market at Sam’s (June – Sept.) Saturday 8 a.m. – noon, 3800 Payne Koehler Road (Sam’s Food & Spirits parking lot), New Albany, IN, (812) 246-2673.
  • Charlestown Farmers’ Market (Mid May – Oct.) Thursday 3 p.m. – 6 p.m., Main Street, Charlestown, IN, (812) 283-0301.
  • Floyd Knobs Farmers’ Market (Year Round) Saturday 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., 400 Lafollette Station Drive, Floyd Knobs, IN, (812) 923-4438.
  • Floyd Memorial Hospital Farmers’ Market (June – Sept.) Tuesday 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., 1850 State Street New Albany, IN, 905-3640.

Coffee