Digging into juicy tomatoes, drippy watermelons and other fresh produce is an essential part of summer, but it's not always easy to find locally grown food, especially in the city.
To help locate neighborhood spots, Philadelphia created a Farmers Markets Finder tool, which the city rolled out last May. To use it, a resident plugs in a ZIP code to view a map of nearby markets. Users also can see the complete list of farmers markets across Philly. In early spring, the city sends out a survey to market operators to learn about schedules, locations and more. That data then gets placed into the tool to make sure that information is up-to-date.
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"(We created the tool) to promote and support farmers markets throughout the city because they are an important food access point in urban agriculture locally and regionally," said Jennifer Aquilante, a food policy coordinator at the Philadelphia Department of Public Health.
She said farmers markets can be tough to find because they often are open just one day a week — or even monthly — and only for a portion of the year (usually May through September).
The finder tool shows what kinds of payment are accepted at each market, including Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as SNAP, and Food Bucks and Farmers Market Nutrition Program, or FMNP.
"We're focused on creating a more healthy, livable community for all residents and how we can support more community-driven solutions to promote food justice," Aquilante said. "I think farmers markets really play into that."
More markets are added in the region almost every year, she said, and finding the right one for you depends on if you're looking for a certain size, price point or proximity to home.
She pointed to the weekly market in Clark Park and the Headhouse Market in Society Hill as some of the most popular, while also noting that some health centers sell affordable locally grown produce.
Wherever folks end up, though, she definitely encourages picking up some fresh fruits and vegetables when the season starts.
"It's locally grown, it's freshly picked, so it always seems like it tastes better that way," Aquilante said.
Shoppers searching for farmers markets outside the city — and anywhere else in Pennsylvania — can use Penn State's tool, which helps users locate markets, on-farm shops, public markets and agrotourism attractions statewide.
NOTE: This article was updated to include that Philadelphia's Farmers Market Finder tool launched in May 2023.