A Fresh Take on
Grocery Shopping
Tabitha Bennett
It’s that time of year again! Farmers markets all across
West Virginia are up and running with fresh produce,
baked goods, and hand-crafted items. If you are tired of
making trips to the grocery store for foods that don’t seem
that fresh, try visiting a local farmers market. You will get
guaranteed fresh food, and you can help a local farmer.
Recently we visited the Morgantown and Clarksburg
Farmers Markets. We found a great variety of vegetables,
berries, baked goods,
and handmade crafts.
The Morgantown
Farmers Market was
full of both venders
and buyers on Saturday
morning, and people of
all ages were enjoying
the sales. Every
customer had a smile.
The farmers
seemed to appreciate
the patrons as well.
“This is the best
market I’ve been to,”
said Jeff Sickler, a
local farmer, “They
have a volume of people here and we are able to charge
fair prices for everyone.”
Farmers seemed to have great relationships with
their customers and each other. “You have to enjoy
interacting,” said a Morgantown farmer, “we build
relationships with people who come every week, and all
of the venders help one another.”
At the Clarksburg farmers market, many of the same
items were sold. Produce, tapestries, photos, and even dog
treats. One vendor said she made gourmet dog treats to
sell to pay for her own dog’s vet bills.
20 West Virginia Farm Bureau News
We also met Marilyn Blake at the Clarksburg farmers
market, who shared the farmers’ struggle of securing a
place to sell their goods. She explained that the farmers
were moved to several different locations, including
parking lots and a parking garage, until they locked in
their current location at the Christ Episcopal Church
parking lot. In the summer they set up in the parking lot,
and during the winter months they sell in a building on
the property. Blake explained that after the Clarksburg
Farmers Market’s sixth
summer, they finally
have a place to sell yearround.
With their new
permanent location, the
Clarksburg farmers are
prospering, and doing
their best not to waste
anything. “We were
losing sales before,” said
Blake, “you can’t stop
produce from growing,
and one of the most
important aspects of
farming is adding value
to the things you grow.”
Blake mentioned that the Clarksburg Farmers Market
likes to feature musicians, artists, and local crafters as
well as new vendors. “We are looking for more all the
time,” Blake says.
If you are looking to get into the farmers market
business, or just need a break from the shopping cart
pushing and self-checkouts of the grocery store, check
out a farmers market near you. Meet new friends,
purchase quality goods, and support the people who
work hard to feed us all.