Kent East Hill Farmers Market

Living Well Kent is excited to be hosting our annual farmers market, for the first time since 2019. After a year of curveballs being thrown at us all, things are slowly falling back into place. During this time frame, we’ve had plenty of time to ponder the food systems we are currently living under, while crafting up exciting new projects for the future. With our farmers market set to open on Saturday, June 12th, we thought this would be a wonderful opportunity to look into the history of farmers markets: how did we get here today, and why is it important for us all?
 
What we refer to as “Farmers Markets” was the standard way of buying, selling, or trading produce and merchandise in the past. They have been designated spaces for not only physical goods, but also as important social hubs; where community members who may otherwise never meet are able to get to know one-another personally. The middleman, whether it be grocery stores or other third-party sellers, are cut out and you have the opportunity to receive your products from the source itself.

​Globally, farmers markets can be traced back at least 5000 years, where they were in abundance along the Nile River of Egypt. In the US, we can date our first official farmers market to 1730, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The city planners at the time were the first to intentionally plan their construction with a designated market space in the city center. This 120-square foot area became known as the Lancaster Central Market, and it’s still running today. It is believed that this market may have hosted up to 400 vendors at a certain point. At the time, both markets and farmer’s stands (known as “curb markets”) were commonplace and essential to daily life. For many communities, such as Lancaster, farmers markets were the place to purchase fresh and local produce, meats, or baked goods. Today, quality produce is seen as a commodity; but going back 300 years, this was the norm.

Things started to shift around the timeframe of Westward Expansion. For the first time, communities were settling in towns and cities away from established farmlands. Shortly after, these cities had newfound access to improved roads, faster transportation, and refrigeration. All of these shifts led to a drastic downfall in farmers markets and an uprise in grocery stores. In 1970, only about 340 farmers markets remained nationwide. Most of these were run by resellers, rather than farmers themselves. Luckily, the 70s brought a new wave of interest, concerning the support of local businesses while becoming health-conscious, environmentally friendly individuals. Right as they were on the verge of eradication, farmers markets started to gain serious traction again. Within a couple of decades, they were back in abundance and stronger than ever. Between 1994 and 2008, there was a 300% increase in markets nationwide. Today, there are more than 8,600 farmers markets registered in the USDA Farmers Market Directory, with numbers still growing today.

​Farmer’s Markets are a direct way of rebuilding local food production, which is beneficial to us all! Humans, plus all of the flora and fauna on this earth we call home. Food is a way to celebrate our roots and bring us together. Farmers markets maintain the ingredients and social relationships which directly fuel our communities. They provide accessible and affordable nourishment, while keeping our farmers and artisans alive. Environmentally, the small-scale farms responsible for local foods have a significant impact on the restoration of our soil and air quality. When we consider the ways of the future, LWK is committed to feeding our communities, while keeping our planet alive and healthy. We hope to see you all at this year’s market!