With bountiful amounts of fresh produce, from gloriously juicy fruits and crisp vegetables to fragrant spices and other delectable goodies, farmers markets are a staple favorite all across these great United States among chefs, locals, foodies, and world travelers alike. These green, open-air markets, however, do not just supply naturally-grown seasonal treats to the flocks of visitors that frequent them each week. They also reinforce community spirit by connecting families on a grassroots level. They further shape and reflect American culture, and many a times, inspire us to become even more amazing cooks ourselves.
From sea to shining sea, the U.S. is exploding with an ever-growing number of farmers markets -- more than 8,100 were registered in 2013. Every region from the Pacific to the Atlantic boasts its own set of top notch markets. Here are our number one farmers market picks from each and every state.
U.S. Best Farmers Markets And When To Visit
| Alabama Pepper Palace Farmers Market Birmingham, AL Open April-Dec. | Montana Missoula Farmers’ Market Missoula, MT Sat. May-Oct.; Tues. July-Sep. |
| Alaska South Anchorage Farmers Market Anchorage, AK Open May-Oct. | Nebraska Omaha Farmers’ Market Omaha, NE Sat. May-October |
| Arizona Uptown Farmers Market Phoenix, AZ Open mornings Sat.; Wed. Oct.-June | Nevada Great Basin Community Co-Op Reno, NV Open Daily All Year Round |
| Arkansas Bentonville Farmers Market Bentonville, AR Open April-Oct. | New Hampshire Portsmouth Farmers’ Market Portsmouth, NH Open Sat. May-Oct. |
| California Downtown Santa Monica Farmers’ Market Santa Monica, CA Open Year-Round Wed. and Sat. | New Jersey Collingswood Farmers’ Market Collingswood, NJ Open Sat. May-Nov. |
| Colorado Boulder Farmers Market Boulder, CO April-Nov.: Sat. 8-2; May-Oct.: Wed. 4-8 | New Mexico Santa Fe Farmers Market Santa Fe, NM Open Sat. Year-Round |
| Connecticut Coventry Regional Farmers’ Market Coventry, CT Open June-Oct. | New York Union Square Greenmarket New York, NY Open Year-Round Mon., Wed., Fri., Sat. |
| Delaware Rehoboth Beach Farmers’ Market Rehoboth Beach, DE Open Tues. Year Round, 12-3 | North Carolina Durham Farmers’ Market Durham, NC Open Sat. Year-Round; Wed. April-Oct. |
| Florida West Palm Beach Greenmarket West Palm Beach, FL Open Year Round Sat. 9am-1pm | North Dakota Hildebrants Farmers’ Market West Fargo, ND Open July-October |
| Georgia Peachtree Road Farmers Market Atlanta, GA Open April-Dec. | Ohio Countryside Farmers' Market at Howe Meadow Peninsula, OH Open Sat. May-Oct. |
| Hawaii Haleiwa Farmers Market Haleiwa, HI Open Year-Round Thurs. 2pm-6pm | Oklahoma OSU-OKC Farmers’ Market Oklahoma City, OK Open Sat. Year-Round |
| Idaho Boise Farmers’ Market Boise, ID Open Sat. from April-Dec. | Oregon Portland State University Farmers Market Portland, OR Open Sat. Year-Round |
| Illinois Green City Market Chicago, IL Outdoor May- Nov.; Indoor Nov.-April | Pennsylvania Rittenhouse Farmers' Market Philadelphia, PA Open Sat. Year-Round |
| Indiana Bloomington Farmers Market Bloomington, IN Open Saturdays April-Nov. | Rhode Island Hope Street Farmers’ Market Providence, RI Open Year-Round Wed. and Sat. |
| Iowa Downtown Farmers Market Club Des Moines, IA Sat. May-Oct.; select days Nov.-Dec. | South Carolina Charleston Farmers Market Charleston, SC Open Sat. April-Nov. |
| Kansas Overland Park Farmers’ Market Overland Park, KS Sat. April-Nov.; Wed. May-Sept. | South Dakota Falls Park Farmers’ Market Sioux Falls, SD Open Sat. May-Oct. |
| Kentucky Lexington Farmers’ Market Lexington, KY Open Year-Round on Saturdays | Tennessee Nashville Farmers’ Market Nashville, TN Open Daily Year-Round; Hours May Vary |
| Louisiana Crescent City Farmers Market New Orleans, LA Year-Round Tues., Wed., Thurs., Sat. | Texas SFC Farmers' Market Downtown Austin, TX Open Year-Round on Sat. |
| Maine Belfast Farmers’ Market Belfast, ME Open Year-Round on Fridays | Utah Park Silly Sunday Market Park City, UT Open Sundays June-Sept. |
| Maryland Baltimore Farmers’ Market & Bazaar Baltimore, MD Open Sundays April-Dec. | Vermont Burlington Farmers’ Market Burlington, VT Open Sat. Year-Round |
| Massachusetts South End Open Market @ SoWa Boston, MA Open Sun. May-Oct. | Virginia South Of The James Farmers’ Market Richmond, VA Open Year-Round on Sat. |
| Michigan Fulton Street Farmers’ Market Grand Rapids, MI Open Year-Round Tues., Wed., Fri., Sat. | Washington Pike Place Market Seattle, WA Open Daily All Year Round |
| Minnesota St. Paul Farmers’ Market St. Paul, MN Open Year-Round; Hours Vary | West Virginia The Wild Ramp Huntington, WV Open Year-Round Mon.-Sat. |
| Mississippi Oxford City Market Oxford, MS Open Tuesdays April-Nov. | Wisconsin Dane County Farmers’ Market Madison, WI Open Wed. and Sat. April-Nov. |
| Missouri Soulard Farmers’ Market St. Louis, MO Open Year-Round Wed.-Sat. | Wyoming Jackson Hole Farmers’ Market Jackson Hole, WY Open Sat. July-Sept. |
| District of Columbia Eastern Market Washington, D.C. Open Year-Round Tues.-Sun. |
Image Credit: Leon Ephraim
This article was written by Pamela Chan.
Hero Image Credit: Anda Ambrosini