From ruby-red tomatoes and tender squash to sweet Southern melons and peaches, summer produce makes this one of the best seasons to visit your closest farmers’ market. Teeming with the freshest locally grown goods you can get your hands on, farmers’ markets allow you to meet the hardworking growers of your favorite fruits and vegetables, learn more about what you’re buying, and, of course, snag a sack full of Southern produce ready to devour.In Birmingham, Alabama, Saturday mornings are spent at The Market at Pepper Place, where regional vendors come fully stocked with treats like sweet Chilton County peaches that grow south of the city and fresh-baked Danish and sourdough loaves from the always bustling Hinkel’s Bakery tent. Don’t worry—the line is totally worth it (and moves quickly)! South Carolina’s Greenville Saturday Market is another on our must-attend list. From May to October, charming Main Street transforms into a sprawling two-block market with more than 70 vendors. It’s been taking place for more than 20 years now and only gets better each week.
Top off a visit to Bourbon Country with a trip to the Bardstown Road Farmers’ Market in Louisville, Kentucky, for blueberries, melons, and peaches, to name only a few. Come hungry for Field Day Family Farm’s famous omelet station made with all local ingredients. Beginning a decade ago with just eight farmers, the Franklin Farmers Market in Franklin, Tennessee, now hosts more than 70 vendors for a busy market each Saturday morning. Snag a quintessential sack of Ellie’s Old Fashioned Doughnuts, and spend the morning exploring all the market has to offer, like fresh goat’s milk and goat cheese from Noble Springs Dairy and River Cottage Farm’s 100% grass-fed and finished meats, among plenty of produce. In Arkansas, the Fayetteville Farmers’ Market is open year-round—in person during warmer months and online and indoors on Saturdays during winter. The warmer-weather market takes place on the city’s downtown square and has a little bit of everything, from fresh-cut flowers to fresh-picked heirloom tomatoes in a kaleidoscope of colors. At the Williamsburg Farmers Market in Williamsburg, Virginia, you’ll find nothing but Virginia-grown goods, and that’s their promise. Stock up on fresh fruit preserves from Agriberry Farm, located in Hanover, Virginia, or shop peanuts and pistachios from Bacon’s Castle Supply out of Surry, Virginia. In San Antonio, Texas, the Pearl Weekend Market is a two-day experience featuring a Saturday market dedicated to local produce and meats and a Sunday market where local artisans set up shop selling beautiful pottery, woodworks, and more. Whether you’re stocking your fridge or hunting for a clever gift, you’ll find it here. No matter where your summer travels take you, these markets deserve a stop.
The Market at Pepper Place
2829 2nd Ave. S. Birmingham, Alabama
pepperplacemarket.com Greenville Saturday Market
East McBee Avenue & South Main Street
Greenville, South Carolina
saturdaymarketlive.comBardstown Road Farmers Market
1722 Bardstown Rd.
Louisville, Kentucky
bardstownroadfarmersmarket.com
Franklin Farmers Market
230 Franklin Rd.
Franklin, Tennessee
franklinfarmersmarket.com
Fayetteville Farmers’ Market
21 W. Mountain St.
Fayetteville, Arkansas
fayettevillefarmersmarket.org
Williamsburg Farmers Market
345 W. Duke of Gloucester St.
Williamsburg, Virginia
williamsburgfarmersmarket.com
Pearl Weekend Market
312 Pearl Pkwy.
San Antonio, Texas
atpearl.com
