The Athens Farmers Market (AFM is having quite a banner year! In addition to celebrating their 50th anniversary this year, the AFM was recently voted the top market in Ohio by the 2022 America’s Farmers Market Celebration (AFMC). The AFMC is run by American Farmland Trust, an organization founded in 1980 that describes itself on its website as the “only national organization that takes a holistic approach to agriculture, focusing on the land itself, the agricultural practices o the land, and the farmers and ranchers who do the work,” and Farmers Market Coalition, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit “dedicated to strengthening farmers markets across the United States so that they can serve community assets while providing real income opportunities for farmers.”
Voting for this contest took place from June until mid-September, and it was recently announced that not only has the Athens Farmers Market won 1st place in Ohio, but it has also been ranked 10th in the Midwest and 35th nationwide. That’s quite an accomplishment considering that the AFMC lists over 7,000 markets across the United States (though no information was given on how many markets entered the contest). According to the AFM, in their congratulatory letter the American Farmland Trust and the Farmers Market Coalition recognized the important place the AFM holds in our community: “Most importantly, we’d like to express our sincere gratitude for the hard work everyone associated with Athens Farmers Market puts in to ensure your community has access to fresh, nutritious food produced by local farmers and artisans.”
Check out the entry for the Athens Farmers Market here, or better yet, visit it in-person and experience the magic yourself! The AFM is located at the Market on East State and its hours are: Wednesdays from 9 am – 12 pm (mid-April to Thanksgiving) and Saturdays, 9 am – 12 pm (year-round).