Caitlin Cosper / February 27th, 2017
Instead of the typical date night out, consider shopping local at a nearby farmers market to get all the ingredients you need for creating a memorable meal at home. Not only does shopping local benefit your community, it can also give you peace of mind knowing exactly where your food is sourced from.
But shopping at a farmers market isn’t just a great way to celebrate a special occasion with your loved ones. Most are open year-round and make a great addition to your weekly or weekend routine. If you’re looking for a market in your town, check out this list provided by the Texas Department of Agriculture, or visit one we’ve featured below. And when you go, don’t forget to make the sustainable choice by bringing your own reusable shopping bag!
Urban Harvest in Houston
Urban Harvest is a nonprofit organization centered around three major initiatives: community gardens, education and a farmers market. The community gardens and education programs are open to people of all ages and backgrounds, teaching the basics of nutrition and organic gardening. The Urban Harvest Famers Market, open every Saturday from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., hosts a variety of vendors – all selling products sourced within 180 miles of Houston city limits. Goods include fresh seafood, artisanal bread, Texas Kobe beef, homemade soap and nearly everything in between.
Westchase District Farmers Market in Houston
Every Thursday at 3 p.m., the Westchase District Farmers Market comes alive, bustling with customers scooping up the vendors’ locally sourced offerings. With fresh bread and pastries baked just hours prior, meat butchered and packaged the day before and seasonal produce at the peak of freshness, the market has everything you need to create an unforgettable meal – or to simply stock your fridge with the finest homegrown provisions Houston has to offer.
Dallas Farmers Market
Nestled in the heart the Dallas metropolis, the Dallas Farmers Market consists of two places to shop: the Market Food Hall and the Farmers Market at the Shed. The Market Food Hall, open seven days per week, is a 26,000 square foot artisanal market containing vendor booths and four restaurants. The onsite restaurants serve dishes made with the finest local ingredients and provide a perfect place for shoppers to relax and enjoy their surroundings. The Farmers Market at the Shed, on the other hand, is open only on weekends but with even more vendors – often on rotation – selling fresh goods. The Shed features farm direct produce grown by farmers and meats and eggs raised by ranchers. Provisions range from artisan cheese and fresh pizza to handmade macarons and essential oil soaps. The market also hosts weekly events worth checking out, which include Yoga & Breakfast or cooking lessons with a local chef.
Georgetown Farmers Market Association
Self-proclaimed as the only “100% producer-owned, non-profit certified farmers market in central Texas,” the Georgetown Farmers Market Association has been providing residents and tourists alike with access to healthy, locally sourced food since 1984. When you shop local, you can be confident knowing exactly where your food came from – right down to the name of its farmer. Hosting more than 40 vendors each week – all which come from within a 100-mile radius of Georgetown – the market offers a plentiful selection of free-range eggs, grass-fed beef, ornamental plants and beyond.
HOPE Farmers Market in Austin
Located in the cultural, health-conscious city of Austin, the mission of the HOPE Farmers Market is to “unite Austin through food, art, music and the community.” And from what we’ve heard, they’re accomplishing just that with their creative collaboration and innovative community programming. When you step into the market on any given Sunday, you’ll find Texas ranchers selling humanely raised beef, famers with fresh, seasonal produce and food artisans with their unique and ethnic creations. Plus, the market hosts and array of local artists selling handmade jewelers, while local musicians set the tone with live performances.
Pearl Farmers Market in San Antonio
San Antonio’s Pearl Farmers Market, a beloved part of the historic community of Pearl, hosts more than 40 vendors at its open-air market every Saturday and Sunday – rain or shine. A true producers-only farmers market, its strict vendor-approval process requires all applicants to be located within a 150 mile radius of San Antonio, and have planted, raised and harvested their products. When you purchase from a Pearl Farmers Market vendor, you can feel good about your decision to support a local business and the community. And with one-of-a-kind goods such as fresh produce, local honey and scratch-made salsa, you’ll likely go back for more.
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