By Dennis Shanoff
So I ran across an interesting Vermont statistic the other day, interesting but not surprising. According to the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, Vermont has the most “Farmers Markets” per capita. And not only are there dozens of great farmers markets but also hundreds of roadside farm stands as well. With nearly a million and a half acres of Vermont’s land being of agricultural use it’s easy to see why farm fresh products are so accessible. And what’s fresher than a farm truck that just loaded up their goodies that morning and headed straight to their space at the market!
You can make a quick stop at a market to grab some fresh ingredients for that night’s dinner, or make a day out of it by hitting up a few of them. (plus getting in a pleasant country drive in as well) What would you typically find at a Vermont Farmers Market? Well you will certainly find your Vermont staple products such as cheese, breads, pies, maple syrup, fruits, vegetables and wine but you are certain to find the unexpected as well. I think this is the best part of a farmers market, discovering new foods, arts, crafts and other unique products you just don’t run into in a typical market place.
For a complete directory of Vermont farmers markets visit the “Vermont Agency of Agriculture” website. Below is a list of the larger, more popular “Saturday” farmers markets:
Brattleboro Farmers Market: May – October / Saturday 9 am – 2 pm
Burlington Farmers Market: May – October / Saturday 8:30 am – 2 pm
Middlebury Farmers Market: May – October / Saturday 9am – 12:30 pm
Rutland Farmers Market: May – October / Saturday 9 am – 2 pm
Montpelier Farmers Market: May – October / Saturday 9 am – 1 pm
So Vermont’s Farmers Market season is in full swing, so go early, go hungry and go often to get the most out of this summer’s market season!
