To Market, To Market

Reading Time: 4 minutes

To market to market to buy a fat pig

Home again, home again, jiggity jig.

To market to market to buy a fat hog.

Home again, home again, jiggity jog

While you probably won’t find any live pigs or hogs at any of our local markets, the summer produce season is upon us with gardens starting to yield an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables. Nothing beats vine-ripened nutrition straight from the field to your table. Sometimes, it can be frustrating knowing where to turn for locally raised produce, but we are lucky to have both hidden and not-so-hidden gems in the tri-state.  

Eating locally grown and sourced food comes with a host of benefits:

• Food is fresher and therefore more flavorful
• Local food, because it hasn’t been stored and shipped, is more nutritious
• Buying local food directly helps our local economy 
• Buying local food benefits the environment by reducing the carbon footprint associated with shipping
• Local food promotes a safer food supply, because chances are, if you are buying from a local farmer, you are not buying from a large industrial farm that has a harder time controlling sanitation.  Most food recalls are because of large industrial farming operations.
• Buying local builds relationships with local farmers 
• Buying local produce produces less waste because there is less packaging involved 
• Buying foods from local markets helps you discover new foods you  might otherwise not be aware of
• Frequenting local markets also creates a sense of community among you and the other people who frequent such outlets

With Father’s Day coming up this weekend, maybe you could consider an outing to a local market, followed by cooking a delicious meal for dear old dad?  Here are the local markets we frequent:

Bud’s Farm Market  

Franklin Street Bazaar

• Hours: Saturdays, 9:00 AM-1:00 PM
• Location: West Franklin Street in Evansville

Historic Newburgh Farmer’s Market 

• Hours: Saturdays, 8:00 AM-12:00 PM until August 21
• Location: the Old Lock and Dam Park on the river in Newburgh 

Jasper Farmers Market 

• Hours: Saturday 8:00 AM-12:00 PM
• Location: 201 Mill Street, Jasper

Market on Main 

• Hours: Wednesdays during June-September 15, 9:00 AM-1:30 AM
• Location: Ford Center Plaza on Main St. in Downtown Evansville

Mayes Farm Market 

• Hours: Monday-Saturday 8:30 AM-6:00 PM, Sunday 10:00-4:00  
• Location: 6400 N. Saint Joseph Ave, Evansville 

Produce Patch–multiple locations various hours

• 8120 High Pointe Dr. Newburgh (812-787-2021) mid-June to Mid-August, 9-7 Daily
• 405 South State Rd. 57 in Washington (812-257-0805) Closes September 15, Open Daily, hours vary
• 709 West Broadway in Loogootee (812-295-4189) Mid-June to Labor Day, 9-7 Daily

Warrick County Farmers’ Market 

• Hours: Every Saturday, 7:30 AM- Noon, June through October
• Location:  On the square in Boonville

Wright’s Berry Farm: 

• Hours: Days and hours vary; check their facebook page for updates
• Location: 5233 Anderson Road, Newburgh, IN   

Vincenne’s Historic Farmers Market 

• Hours: Wednesday 4:00 PM-8:00 PM, Saturday 8:00 AM-1:00 PM
• Location: 102 N. 2nd Street, Vincennes 

Just a few tips for making the most of your local market shopping experience.

• Bring your own bags
• Bring plenty of cash.  While most vendors do have a way of accepting credit cards and checks, cash speeds up the transaction and is more efficient for everyone.
• Keep an open mind.  Remember that much of the produce you find in grocery stores is highly polished and select.  Local farmers sell whatever they have in the field and the fruits and veggies have not been dyed, waxed, or otherwise treated to preserve shelf life.  Sometimes produce is ugly…that doesn’t mean it isn’t nutritious and tasty.
• Don’t know what to make with a new or interesting fruit or vegetable?  Ask the vendor!  Or, when you get home, search the internet for all sorts of ideas for how to use that rutabaga.

You can also use the following sites to find additional outlets for local goods:

Market Wagon

Hoosier Harvest Market

Indiana Grown

Additionally, many of the weekly markets in our various communities also feature artisans and other events like music and yoga to make your market going adventure a multi-sensory event. Check out the various web and facebook pages to learn more about the markets in your neighborhood.