One of the best opportunities for town and gown to intersect in Athens is the Athens Farmers Market. Every Saturday morning and Wednesday morning throughout the year (9 a.m. to noon), the Farmers Market convenes in the front parking lot of The Market on State mall on East State Street in Athens. During cold weather, the market moves inside.
Next time you’re sitting around your off-campus rental in Athens with nothing to do on a Saturday morning, you should consider making the short drive to the Athens Farmers Market. It usually features two “streets” of facing stalls. During busy times of the year, a line of stalls with arts and crafts forms an “L” at the west end of the market.
Other than the grocery store and/or Walmart, there aren’t that many opportunities for Ohio University students to rub shoulders with permanent townspeople. At the Farmers Market, however, you’ll find an interesting mix of students, professionals, white-collar and working-class people from all over Athens County. Many people attend the market as much for social stimulation as culinary rewards. If you’re a people watcher, this is definitely the place to be.
A Wide Assortment of Produce, Meats, Other Goods
If your image of a farmers market is confined to fresh fruits and vegetables, think again about the Athens Farmers Market. While its many booths feature a wide variety of seasonal local produce, other booths sell creative pastry and bread items, local grass-fed beef and pork, honeys and maple syrups, salsas, cider and wine, fudge and candy, pumpkins and flowers, cheeses and more. Often, one or more local food trucks will be represented. Everything is grown or made locally, with the vast majority of food items organic.
Market Has a Proud Local History
The Athens Farmers Market has been operating continuously since 1972. It originally was set up at the old OU Airport, on the south side of East State where the Athens Community Center is now. However, it’s been at its present location, the mall parking lot, for many years. There’s been a lot of talk in recent years of moving the Farmers Market to a better location, but so far no such decision has been made. Finding a new site has proved to be an elusive goal.
The founders of the Athens Farmers Market wrote bylaws and rules that required the market be for agricultural products exclusively, though the definition of what that means has evolved over the years to now include the broad variety of produce and other goods sold at the market. According to a historical account on the AFM’s website, the first market had only three vendors, though by the end of the market season that year, dozens of vendors were participating. In 1998 when the city of Athens built a new recreation center on the site of the Farmers Market, the market was moved to the University Mall parking lot where it’s been ever since. The University Mall changed its name to The Market on State at some later date.
You’ll Be Healthier for Visiting the Farmers Market
Aside from the pure fun of visiting one of the best farmers markets in Ohio, you’ll likely become a healthier person if you shop there. College students as a class aren’t exactly known as healthy eaters, so stocking up on fresh produce – homegrown tomatoes, cukes, greens, radishes, peppers, etc. – can really improve the typical college-student diet. While you wouldn’t consider slicing up a watery, tasteless store-bought tomato, you’ll feel much differently about the succulent, tasty tomatoes typically on offer at the Farmers Market. The prices are usually quite reasonable as well.
Try shifting from your college-student routine and experience one of the best things Athens has to offer, the Athens Farmers Market.