Farm fresh produce
In Pennsylvania, we have more than the standard "four seasons." To those seasons, you add some sub-seasons like strawberry season, asparagus season, corn season, apple, peach, cherry, yellow wax beans etc. - you get the idea. Yes, fresh fruit and vegetable seasons are important too.
My wife and I shop the produce stands along the highway as we travel into town during our weekly shopping excursions. I am the "wheelman" and she directs the stop and go because she knows the what and when of all the "sub-seaons
When I noticed the " Farmers Market " sign in Altoona recently, I started to search the Internet to find out if other markets exist. Like most event listings, I suggest you call ahead to make sure things have not changed since the listing was posted.
Here are a few I checked out and mapped - but the searchable list noted in the links below give you the ability to explore each of Pennsylvania's 67-counties.
Altoona Farmer's Market - Blair County
Weekly intown Altoona Farmer's Market held at the Heritage Plaza in Altoona that takes place every Thursday from 9am until 2pm.
Contact - Ted Barnholdt, (814) 696-0544, Email: barnholdt@verizon.netAnnual farmer's market and flea market open to the public in the center of downtown Hollidaysburg – Friday 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., July 15 to September 30.
Johnstown Farmer's Market -Cambria County
Contact Person: Renee Daly, (814) 536-8616, Email: rdaly@cojtwn.com
Fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, baked goods, fresh cut flowers, potted flowers, and organic produce available to purchase.
The 8th Ward Market will be held in the AmeriServ Parking Lot (across from Conemaugh Hospital on Franklin Street) and runs every Tuesday from 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm starting June 12th and ending August 21st. The first 100 customers that spend at least $5.00 will receive a voucher for a FREE Johnstown Farmer's Market Thermal Lunch Bag.
The Downtown Market will be held at Central Park, on Main Street and run every Friday from 9:00 am - 2:00 pm starting June 15th and ending October 26th. Due to Thunder in the Valley, there will not be a Downtown Farmer's Market on June 22nd. The first 200 customers that spend at least $5.00 will receive a voucher for a FREE Johnstown Farmer's Market Thermal Lunch Bag.
Millheim Farmers' Market - Centre County, Pennsylvania
Contact Person: Susan Haney, (814) 349-5683 Email: rshaney@verizon.net
9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Saturdays from mid-May through mid-October. This is a producer-only market, with 15 local vendors providing a full season's produce. This includes a broad selection of vegetables, fruits and flowers, herbs, cider, maple syrup, pastured poultry, and beef; eggs, cheeses, baked goods, salsas, perennial plants, soaps, and shampoos. Ethnic and organic produce. The market meets at the American Legion Grounds, Rt 45, west of Millheim, in a roofed pavilion.
The best Internet sources for learning more about Pennsylvania farm products is the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. There I found the AgMap and the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Consumer’s Guide to Pennsylvania Farm Markets 2007. If you find others, please post a comment to this story.
AgMap is Pennsylvania's online agricultural directory. This Internet site helps Pennsylvania ag businesses connect to the general public by providing free listings that are easily searchable. Consumers can find the products and services and easily contact those businesses that would best serve their needs. Works for me!
The Consumer’s Guide to Pennsylvania Farm Markets 2007 is a 183-page, 10 MG file that provides an exstensive, county by county profile of the entire state's farm market. Everything from farm based businesses to roadside stands to organizational cooperatives. The individual informattion listing includes, name, mailing address, directions [no GPS coordinates - ouch, when will they learn], days/hours of operation, available products, contact information and Web sites. Click on the hyperlink and be patient, it takes a while to load the document. If you do not have high speed Internet serivce and rely on dial-up, beware - you will have a " birthday " waiting for that file to load.
Finally, my wife and I discovered another way to shop and buy produce - BULK. A bushel of this and a skid load of that, and you are set for the summer. This is a hit or miss proposition so when the crops "come in", the auction is busy.
We recently learned of the Morrison Cove Produce Auction. This open-air, weekly gathering is a "hoot" to watch. A group of buyers, sellers, and the auctioneer walk from item to item and the selling process is a loud chorus bids and auctioneer chatter. Sellers and buyers register before the bidding starts. You pay or get paid when the deal is struck and the auctioneer calls out, Sold for $$.
Here is the sight and sound of the auction. You may want to adjust your speaker volume.
Share your stories, its easy and free. Register by clicking on the link http://www.storytrax.com/user/register
- JYork's Stories
- Login or register to post comments
Comments
PA Dept. of Ag
Summer is a time for fresh fruit and vegetables that are reasonably priced and easily accessable at country stands or at local town farmer's markets. I look forward to fresh peaches and have already indulged in farm grown rasberries. I usually shop at local Amish produce stands located in the Arch Spring area of PA..just outside of Tyrone if you follow a map or Tom Tom =)
I did check out the Pa Ag website and found some great information and even watched the Emmy award winning video http://www.agriculture.state.pa.us/agriculture/cwp/view.asp?a=3&Q=141200. Being a Pennsylvanian I have to say how proud I am to be the daughter of a farmer and as I watched this video I do know first hand the sacrifices farmers and their famiies make to provide the world with God's bountiful harvest.
InTown Altoona
Don't forget aboutintown Altoona's Farmer's Market. It takes place every Thursday from 9am until 2pm. Judy Brumbaugh a long time favorite baker of mine and owner of Brumbaugh's Old Fashion Delites in Williamsburg, is there every Thursday. She wakes up at 4 am to begin baking goods to sell that day. She sells cookies, gobs, carrot cake, cinnamon rolls, banana nut bread and pies. She also sells sweet tea, hot dogs and Sloppy Judy sandwiches. She has been doing this for 24 years at Farmer's Markets all across the region.
Bridenbaugh's out of Martinsburg is also a vendor at the Market located on 11th Avenue in Heritage Plaza. They sell a lot of corn, tomatoes, melons, peaches, apples, berries, zuchinnis, and cucumbers. I always enjoy stopping down there just before lunch time to grab a juicy peach or a homemade Gob.
Clay hardens by immobility – men's minds by standing pat. Both lose the power to take new impressions. (Pinchot 1910: 138)
Thanks EC
My calls for information about the Altoona venue met a deadend. Thanks for the reminder. I will add your information and try again to get a contact number and email. Did you check out the AG links? They are great.