More Farmers' Markets Opening Schedules

Here's a note from the Pittsburgh BusinessTimes about the Market Square Farmers' Market opening on Thursday.
"Pittsburgh's only mostly organic farmers' market", Farmers at the Firehouse is opening this year on May 9th.
Waynesburg Prosperous and Beautiful is opening their Waynesburg Farmers' Market season this year on Wednesday May 13th with afternoon hours and a new location in Waynesburg.
The Main Street Farmers' Market of Washington, PA will be opening on Thursday May 14th. It looks like they have a gift certificate program this year ..... check out the "Market Dollars".
And in the Laurel Highlands region, where it stays cooler later into the season, the farmer operated Somerset County Farmers' Market will open their popular market on Saturday May 30th.

More Pics from Waynesburg

Here are a few more pictures from the Waynesburg Farmers' Market yesterday. The market, like most of the markets around here, is a "producer only" market. The vendors only sell what they grow or produce from materials on their own farm. In the case of food products, they are produced by the vendor who brings them to market, usually in the vendor's own state certified kitchen.

HINT: For those of you looking for farmers' markets, be aware that sometimes you will see vendors set up near a market on market day, but not in the market proper. There are those who will take advantage of the "following" culivated by the market and set up nearby on market days to attract some of the patrons. They do not contribute to the work of organizing the market and in some instances they are not selling in season produce that they've raised themselves. The choice is up to you, but I go to the vendors who've been there at the market week after week, rain or shine.

Waynesburg PA Farmers" Market Visit

We had a trip planned to the Waynesburg area, so I tied it in with the Wednesday farmers' market, of course. It was overcast today --- the first rain that we've had in nearly a month. The market vendors set up in the rain, but it cleared up until the market closed. The Waynesburg Farmer's Market is sponsored by Waynesburg Prosperous & Beautiful and is located on High Street in the First Baptist Church parking lot. This is one of the markets that I worked with in the past, so I knew Carol, the on-site market manager. She opens and closes the market by ringing a school bell. I got to ring the bell at closing today --- thanks Carol! Today was "Senior Day" so there were some added booths providing information, blood pressure checks, etc. Look closely at the picture of my market goodies and you'll see the tomato stress ball "squeezie" ...... today's featured freebie! The stuff you can pick up at the market, eh? I also bought a copy of the market "Recipe Collection" cookbook, available for $10 at the market or by ordering from WP&B. http://www.waynesburgpa.org/index.html

This is one of the markets in the area where you can purchase meats including pork and beef. The beef is from Strath an De' Farm --- they raise Scottish Highland beef cattle. http://www.strathande.com/

There were some beautiful heirloom tomatoes from Stewart's Farm. Couldn't resist picking up a piece of fudge .......