Our Mission:

Unfortunately, the family farm is disappearing. The Franklin Farmers Market is active in preserving local farms and providing guidance to the next generation that farming is not only a great lifestyle but a viable way to make a living. The Market provides a connection between the farmer and the consumer and creates a partnership that assures a more sustainable future for all concerned.

Our first goal is to provide a venue for the family farms in the area to sell what they produce. Direct-sales provides north of 70% more revenue for the farmer as compared to wholesaling into commodity markets. This additional source of money can make the difference between keeping the farm going or subdividing the land for housing developments.

Our second objective is to make it possible for you and your family to have access to fresh, nutritious food. At our market, the vegetables, fruits and herbs are grown locally and travel direct from the fields to you. Most of the produce sold at the Market has been picked within 24 hours of being marketed and has traveled no more than 150 miles.

Much of the produce available in a grocery store has been trucked an average of 1,500 miles before it arrives in your kitchen. More often than not, they sell varieties that have been bred to travel well rather than taste good. By necessity, the food is processed and packed before it can ripen on the vine. There is a reason why some tomatoes taste like a sac of water and seeds. They have been bred for a durable skin and perfect shape and little else.

Because the nutritional value of all food declines as time goes on, fresher food means more vitamins and minerals are available for you and your family. Food raised on the land in your region may also enhance your immune system against local allergens. Fresher food may also be safer in that many bacteria grow in food as a consequence of being past ripe.

Finally, our third objective is to educate and be educated about local food issues. Whether it is the conversations occurring at each of our booths, a play program in our Children's Garden or a demonstration by a local chef teaching folks how to cook, we are a resource for our community on the art of feeding ourselves. The information and viewpoints of the customers, in like fashion, informs us on what to grow, how to apply our accumulative experience and what is next in the world of local food. This exchange of ideas and opinions makes the Franklin Farmers Market a fertile place from which we can all grow good healthy local food.

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