When we support and encourage our locals, it feels as if we are a smaller, tighter-knit community. And the community is made from the value of residents, and who they are is important. Farmers’ markets are a place where residents and vendors come together to share their love for fresh food and homemade products.
Fayette County Farmer’s Market in Fayetteville and Oak Hill is a fresh and unique place to buy products: art, bread, fresh eggs and vegetables, jams & jellies, fresh-cut meat, and more.
Fayette County Farmer’s Market is located on the lot to the left of the Fayetteville Courthouse and on Virginia St. next to the DHHR. The hours for Fayetteville are 8:30 a.m. -12:30 p.m. every Saturday and 2:00- 6:00 p.m. every Thursday for Oak Hill. Some of the vendors include Irena’s Bread and Jam, Fox’s Sunrise Farm, Snork’s Kitchen, Livi’s Microgreens, and Nosh.
The best way to keep up to date on the Fayette County Farmer’s Market is their Facebook page. They keep you informed with their location and time changes, what vendors are attending, and local reviews.
FarmFreshWV states that the overall goal of all local farmer markets in West Virginia is to “provide quality locally grown and harvested products to our community.” When thinking of a farmer’s market, you think of mostly fruits and vegetables. Not only does the Fayette County Farmer’s Market offer those, but they also have things such as table runners and tablecloths, danishes, art, dog treats, local honey, homemade soap, pictures, and much more.
Buying locally can provide income for your local farms and the homes of others in the community. Also, it is better for the environment. Local food does not have to travel as far, which reduces greenhouse gas emissions and gives your food more nutrients.
Nathan Tweeddale, owner and creator of Livi’s Microgreeens, stated that his microgreens are “more nutritionally dense than anything you can have at the grocery store.”
Fresh fruit and vegetables start to lose their nutrients after twenty-four hours. Local farmers tend to pick their food when they are at the peak of being ripe, which will have more nutrients. The color of the fruit is the easiest way to tell.
Carlo Leifert, a Professor of Ecological Agriculture at Newcastle University in England, says that fresh farm produce provides antioxidants and phytonutrients. Many local farmers cultivate very nutritious produce through their cautious and careful farming methods, ensuring that you receive the best quality and taste.
Nathan explained the development and process of his microgreens. Nathan started selling commercially this year. The idea was sparked while Nathan was in the “death of despair” during quarantine that motivated him. Nathan defined microgreens as the “vertical farming system and the future of farming.”
He also sells dog treats created by his daughter, Olivia, and farm-fresh eggs.
Angela Perry owns Perry’s Peak Honey. She creates and offers things like tarts, candles, chapstick, local honey, soaps, perfume, fresh garden vegetables, and more. The process of her tarts, candles, and soaps consist of “soy wax, and then you melt it, put your scent in, put your color in, put it in your mold in, and then pop them out.”
Angela has been doing this for about five years, starting with the honey and then branching out into her other products. She has just “a little bit of everything.”
Irena Barker, owner and maker of Irena’s Bread and Jam, has a lot to offer, such as cinnamon rolls, fried pies, pepperoni rolls, and many different sorts of bread. Irena said she has been selling at the Fayette County Farmer’s Market for thirteen years. Everything she makes is homemade and fresh.
There are many prodigious social aspects that come from any local farmers’ market. While attending a farmers’ market, you get to ask the owners any questions you may have of how and when what you are buying was created. You begin to learn the process and the time between it all, and maybe even learn a secret or tip.
For example, Nathan explained how he grows microgreens in his “grow lab” in his home; the grow lab is heated and can be used twelve months a year. The microgreens are grown in racks with trays on them in organic composts and fed filtered water. He described it as “like babysitting babies; you can’t take a vacation and go away for the weekend.”
Going to a local farmer’s market could be a fun gathering for friends and family. Farmers’ markets are always kid-friendly and sometimes offer fun activities. It could also be a chance to run into a local friend or community member you know. This could be a time to learn more about your community and its residents.
Another pro to attending and purchasing from a local farmer’s market is it non-industrial. Industrialized farming is the norm now. Giant factories produce large amounts of produce, shipping it all over the world. Most local farms grow their produce a hundred miles or closer to the market; meaning, the farms are a local job and income for families in our community. When produce is out-of-season, there is usually a higher demand for it, and then stores raise their prices.
Farmers’ markets are seasonal. There is a shift of eating in the U.S. where people tend to eat what is in season and fresh at the time. For example, lighter fruits are available seasonally in the spring, while heartier vegetables are available in the fall. There are only certain times where farms are able to produce and harvest; leaving the local farmers’ markets only open during the months of May through October.
Don’t miss your opportunity to go to your local farmers’ market before it’s too late. The season will be changing soon. You will also be helping your neighbor out with your local support.
