Kentucky farmers markets made more than $15M in sales last year. Here's where to find one:

Olivia Evans, Louisville Courier Journal
Updated ·5 min read
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Leah Mandel-Robinson, left, packs tomatoes at the Norton Commons Farmer's Market in Louisville, Ky. on Sep. 5, 2021. The neighborhood continues to grow after it was constructed 15 years ago.
Leah Mandel-Robinson, left, packs tomatoes at the Norton Commons Farmer's Market in Louisville, Ky. on Sep. 5, 2021. The neighborhood continues to grow after it was constructed 15 years ago.
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On any given day in Louisville, you can stumble upon a farmers' market. Many of these open-air markets supported by local vendors are community staples for fresh produce, handcrafted decorations, tasty treats and more.

More than 73,000 farms across Kentucky make these lively markets possible with the daily task of raising cattle, tending to soybeans, and picking fruits and vegetables at peak times. As a result of their labor of love, last year farmers' markets in the Commonwealth brought in more than $15 million in reported sales, up $1 million compared to 2021.

“Farmers' markets are a communal gathering hub for microeconomics, and it really makes our world feel more like a village than a vast incomprehensible global economy," said Joseph Monroe from Valley Spirit Farm in Campbellsburg. “It's a friendly atmosphere that really has a great local economic impact.”

This week is National Farmers Market Week, a celebration dedicated to the growth and impact of farmers' markets across America.

“Farmers’ markets provide the freshest and healthiest foods direct from Kentucky’s farms,” said Kentucky Department of Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles. “Farmers’ markets remain a vital resource to provide a direct pathway for farm fresh foods for consumers.”

Here’s what we know about farmers' markets in Kentucky:

How do local farmers' markets support the economy?

Fresh produce, including purple asparagus, purchased at the Douglass Loop Famers Market in Louisville.
Fresh produce, including purple asparagus, purchased at the Douglass Loop Famers Market in Louisville.

Across Kentucky, more than 50% of all land — nearly 13 million acres — is used for agriculture purposes, helping support the state economy with $50 billion in economic impact in 2019 and supporting more than 270,000 jobs.

Statewide there are 170 farmers' markets in 115 counties, showcasing farm-fresh produce from more than 2,400 vendors.

“The products and services offered by farms and farmer’s markets are the backbone of a flourishing community; one that is connected and strives to serve one another,” said Sean Corser, the market manager for the Eastwood Village Farmer’s Market in Louisville.

According to a release from the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, farmers' markets have continued to experience growth and are gaining popularity. Since 1994, the number of farmers’ markets in the U.S. has increased from 2,000 to more than 8,600, the release said.

Farmers like Monroe from Valley Spirit Farm provide consumers with more than just fresh vegetables but with other items like sunflowers, beef and chicken. For Monroe, the Douglass Loops Farmers Market in Louisville where he sells has become part of the lifeline for his 117-acre farm.

“Farmers' markets have allowed us to pay our mortgage on the farm and to not have to have off-farm jobs, and to raise our three kids. For these reasons we are extremely grateful and lucky,” Monroe said.

How do farmers' markets support Kentucky farmers?

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, more than half of farmers traveled less than 10 miles to their market, meaning the produce and goods available for consumers is truly local. These food items tend to be more nutrient dense and healthier for families than produce found at grocery stores due to a lack of added chemicals and being picked at peak ripeness.

“You also can have confidence in the products when you know they’re safely and organically grown and produced,” Corser said. “Plus, the tastiness of a homegrown tomato, or grass-fed steak, or organically grown produce just tastes better and lasts longer.” 

Aside from the health value farmers markets bring to communities across the Bluegrass, the markets offer a way for customers to build direct relationships with producers.

“As a local resident it means something to know who provides your food, to know their name and to know what processes they went through to provide the produce or meat to your family,” Corser said. “It’s a unique aspect of community that a supermarket doesn’t offer.”

Farmers' markets in the Louisville area

Here are a handful of farmers' markets you can visit in the Louisville area:

Contact business reporter Olivia Evans at oevans@courier-journal.com or on Twitter at @oliviamevans_.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky farmers markets bring in $15 million in sales in 2022