Farmers’ Market Tours can be a great way to introduce new customers to a great source of fresh, local food! Whether they’re part of a class or on their own, there are a lot of resources available to help you guide new consumers through a market and think about how to budget and prepare fresh food. Remember that it’s also important to form a relationship with the market manager and vendors, and to work with them to create a welcoming market environment!

A Day at the Market N.C. Research Campus Farmers Market. Kannapolis, N.C., 2009.
Photo by Justin Moore

General Information

• What’s in Season? North Carolina Fruit and Vegetable Availability (NC Department of Agriculture)
• USDA/nutrition.gov Farmers’ Markets: Fresh, Nutritious, Local (video)

Recipes

• Expanded Food Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP)
• Cooking Matters
• Eat Smart, Move More

Food safety

• Asking Food Safety Questions at the Farmers’ Market (N.C. Cooperative Extension)
• NC Fresh Produce Safety: Farmers Market Resources (N.C. Cooperative Extension)
• Farm Food Safety: Keep Fresh Produce Safe Using Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) (Penn State University Extension; for farmers’ market vendors)
• Food Safety & Selection at the Farmers’ Market (University of Nebraska Extension)

Budgeting

• Shop Your Local Farmer’s Market on a Budget (University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension)
• Farmers Market Prices Cheaper Than Stores (Farmers Market Coalition)
• How much should I buy: A Guide to Fresh Fruits and Vegetables for Home Cooking (Michigan State University Extension)

Cooking demo tips

• Demonstration Tips (University of Massachusetts Extension)       
• Cooking Demonstrations: Providing the Perfect Ingredients to Season Your Farmers’ Market (Kansas Rural Center)

Working with Markets to Improve Accessibility

• Sharing the Harvest: A guide to Bridging the Divide between Farmers’ Markets and Low-Income Shoppers (ASAP- Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project)
• Farmers’ Markets and Food Access (N.C. Cooperative Extension Local Food Portal)