Farmers Market in savannah (Garden City, Forsyth: appointed, 2013, co-op)

[Island bound]

Moving to the area and hoping there is a good farmers market or fresh produce market in the area. How is pricing? Are there full time markets or just weekend markets?

[tastephens22]

The main farmers market here is a weekend farmers market at Forsyth Park, Saturdays from 9-1 http://forsythfarmersmarket.com/

Bethesda Academy also has an organic farm on their grounds and a (seasonal?) market on the school grounds Tuesday and Thursdays.

Other options might be to look into local CSA's such as Urbanna Farm Welcome to URBANNA FARM! | { Your Community Supported Agriculture Link } or the Savannah Food Co-op Savannah Food Co-op | Local, Organic, Sustainable for local fresh produce.

There also is a state run farmers market Savannah Farmers Market - Ga Dept of Agriculture on Highway 80 in Garden City (just west of Savannah) but it has been underwhelming the times I have been there, particularly compared to South Carolina's and North Carolina's state run markets.

Couldn't tell you about pricing. I've been to all of them but do not shop regularly at any of them.

[Island bound]

Thanks for the links! Appreciate it.

[Padgett2]

You do understand that this is NOT an area where there are fresh produce farms, don't you???? It just get's too hot in the summer for many vegetables. What we have are a few smallish farms with seasonal stuff. There just aren't any full time produce markets. Veggies would be almost a hobby for the peanut or soy bean farmer.

Your best bet is a supermarket that takes good care of it's produce section. I have never found any reason to be disappointed in what they have.

Anyway, I wish you luck!!

[ellie]

Originally Posted by Padgett2

You do understand that this is NOT an area where there are fresh produce farms, don't you???? It just get's too hot in the summer for many vegetables. What we have are a few smallish farms with seasonal stuff. There just aren't any full time produce markets. Veggies would be almost a hobby for the peanut or soy bean farmer.

Your best bet is a supermarket that takes good care of it's produce section. I have never found any reason to be disappointed in what they have.

Anyway, I wish you luck!!

Actually, Mrs. P, in the past few years quite a few of the old truck farms in the SC lowcountry have reinvented and revived themselves as organic farms that provide fresh produce to local markets and restaurants in our area. Also, a fairly large number of small family farms, institutions like Bethesda Orphanage, chefs, and individuals right here in the Savannah area have joined the wave of sustainable agriculture to grow fresh vegetables that to sell on a weekly basis at the Forsyth Farmers Market. It's really quite remarkable -- and fun -- to shop there on a Saturday morning. What a social scene!

Bethesda also holds a market on their campus on a weekly basis during the season. You should call and see when they start up again, just to see what they're up to.

This sort of thing has really gained momentum, nationally. Many people enjoy it and support the idea that small scale agriculture is a viable means of providing fresh, in season, locally grown produce to nearby residents. It will never replace factory farms, but it provides people with a yearning to have some control over the source and quality of their food, a way to achieve their goal and build a sense of community around it.

[Padgett2]

Thanks Ellie! I didn't know that it had grown so in SC. But the fact remains that the summers are tooooo hot for certain things that people are used to being fresh elsewhere.

If a person can find something like spinach in July, the chances are very good that it has been shipped in from elsewhere. You could probably find it fresher at a store. It would, at least, not been sitting outside in 90 degree weather.

[ellie]

You're right about the spinach in summer. We can grow it here in the cool seasons so that's when it's available in the farmers market. In summer you get tomatoes, okra, and eggplant, etc.

Part of the logic is to eat food that's in season and avoid produce that's shipped in from Peru or California.

We all know how bad tomatoes taste this time of year...

[ellie]

I saw this in my newsfeed and thought I'd add for future reference:Local Farmer

[ellie]

Forsyth Farmer's Market returns after short break | Savannahnow.com Mobile

So it looks like the Forsyth Farmers Market may be open year round in the future.