Atlanta's Farmers Markets

Locally grown produce

Farmers’ markets are one of the most exciting trends in America’s food system. They range in size depending on how many vendors participate and because the consumer is looking for the freshest and healthiest food for their family the markets are multiplying, as well as becoming increasingly more important to the farmer as another outlet to sell his product.

By putting the farmer and the consumer together farmers markets are an important resource for educating and communicating about farming and food safety issues.

One of the beauties of farmers’ markets is how they let farmers experiment with new items to
respond to shopper’s demands. If a farmer isn’t raising a particular product, requests from enough
shoppers will often add it to the farmers’ inventory of production. The same can be said for
developing “value-added” products such as processed foods like jams and salsa that can be made on the farm. If there is demand for it, some vendor will determine whether it can be made and sold at the market. This is one reason why farmers’ markets are playing such an important role as incubators of new farm- and food-based businesses. Many companies now marketing foods commercially got their start at tables in farmers’ markets.

Atlanta is a mecca for terrific farmers markets. Peruse the following list and before too long make a visit to one or two in your area. You will certainly find the freshest vegetables to bring home to your family knowing that it was probably picked from the soil that morning. It is also a fun expedition previewing new products made on the farm that are not in your local grocery chain.

Atlanta Farmers Markets
• Sandy Springs Farmers Market
• 235 Sandy Springs Circle, Atlanta, Ga. 30328 Open Saturdays 8:30 to 12:30 pm April through December
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• Peachtree Road Farmers Market
• 2744 Peachtree Road, NW, Atlanta, GA 30305. . Open: Saturdays 8:30-Noon, April through December at Cathedral of St. Philip.
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• Green Market at Piedmont Park
• Piedmont Park, 1071 Piedmont Avenue, NE, Atlanta
Open: Saturday mornings, from May through December, from 9:00am to 1:00pm.

• Morningside Farmers Market
• 393 North Highland Avenue, Atlanta, Georgia. Phone: 404-444-9902 9902 Open Saturday Mornings; 8:00 am to 11:30 a.m. during April 24 through December

• Sweet Auburn Curb Market
• 209 Edgewood Ave. SE, Atlanta, GA 30303. Phone: 404-659-1665 404-659-. Open: Monday - Saturday, 8am-6pm, year round

• Alpharetta Farmers Market
• Old Roswell Street off Milton Avenue and Main Street, Alpharetta, GA 30005. Phone: 404-402-5389

• Dunwoody Green Market
• 1551 Dunwoody Village Parkway, Dunwoody, GA 30338. Phone: 770-214-8531. Open: April thru December every Wednesday from 8am to 12pm.

• Riverside Farmers Market
• Roswell City Hall, 38 Hill Street, Roswell, GA. Phone: 404-613-7670. Open: Saturdays, 8am to 12 noon, rain or shine May 15 to October 30, 2010.

• Decatur Organic Farmers Market
• 63 Clairmont Avenue, Decatur, GA. Downtown Decatur on the Square, just behind the old Court House. Phone: 404-377-0894 0894 Open: all year round on Wednesdays from 4pm to 7pm through Oct. 4th at the Bank of America parking lot in downtown Decatur.

• East Lake Farmers Market
• Corner of 2nd Avenue & Hosea Williams, Atlanta, GA, GA 30317.. Open: Every Saturday, May 1 - October 30 from 9am - 1pm.

• DeKalb Farmers Market
• 3000 E. Ponce De Leon Avenue, Decatur, GA 30030. Phone: (404) 377-6400 Open daily

• Lawrenceville Farmers Market
• 185 W. Crogan Street, Lawrenceville, GA. Open: 8 am to noon Saturdays through September 30th. Phone: 678-226-2639

• Suwanee-Duluth Farmers Market
Town Center Park, Suwanee, GA. Open: every other Saturday, starting May 20, from 8 am to noon through September.