Local Food

Why Buy Local? Beyond the benefits of direct sales for farmers, farmers’ markets can benefit local economies. One of these benefits is that more food dollars are spent and retained in the local area, versus on food imported from other regions of the country or internationally. As more money stays in the local economy, more money is spent by and at other local businesses. Known as the multiplier effect, for every dollar of income earned by a farmer at a farmers’ market, other local businesses generate $.48 of income.

Also… consumers may be enticed to shop at other businesses in the vicinity of the farmers’ market. These indirect sales have been estimated to be $.58 for every dollar spent at a farmers market. In the same study, a job multiplier of 1.45 was found, in other words, for every job at a farmers’ market, nearly half of another job was supported somewhere else in the local economy.

Farmers' Markets

Farmers’ Markets have many benefits, among them increasing fresh fruit and vegetable consumption, directly connecting consumers with farmers, and economic benefits for participating farmers and communities where farmer’s markets are located. Increased interest by consumers in local foods has led to the continuing expansion of the number of farmers’ markets nationwide.

Did you know? In 2009, the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) Agricultural Marketing Service determined the number of farmers’ markets to be 5,274. Compared with 1998, this number nearly doubled. Most of the farms that sell through farmers’ markets and other direct-to-consumer channels are small farms with sales of less than $50,000. Direct to consumer sales amounted to 1.2 billion dollars across the nation, according to the 2007 Census of Agriculture.

Onondaga County

Bayberry Market: Bayberry Plaza parking lot, Route 57 at Blackberry Road, Clay, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays through Oct. ; 652-1463.

Central New York Regional Market: 2100 Park St., Syracuse, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursdays (thru end of October); 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays (year-round); Flea Market 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays; 422-8647, cnyrma.com.

Camillus Farmers Market: Camillus Municipal Building, 4600 W. Genesee St., 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Fridays, through Oct.; 488-1234, townofcamillus.com.

Cicero Farmers Market: Burdick’s Driver’s Village parking lot, 5885 E. Circle Drive, Cicero, 3 to 7 p.m. Tuesdays, through Oct. 699-5233, ciceronewyork.net.

Downtown Farmers Market: Water Street at Clinton Square (on south side of fountain), Syracuse; 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays, through Oct.; 4228284, downtownsyracuse.com.

Manlius Farmers Market: parking lot behind Sno-Top ice-cream stand, off Fayette Street (Route 92) near Village Centre, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesdays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays, June through Oct.; 682-7887, manliusvillage.org.

Marcellus Flea Market: Marcellus Park, Platt Road, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays, through September; 673-3269, ext. 2, marcellusny.com.

Marcellus Open Air Market: Marcellus Park, Platt Road, 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, through September; 673-3269, ext. 2, marcellusny.com.

Syracuse Eastside Neighborhood Farmers Market: Westcott Community Center, 836 Euclid Ave., 2 to 7 p.m. Wednesdays, starting June through Oct.; 478-8634 ask for Jennifer, westcottcc.org.

Town of Skaneateles Farmers Market: Austin Park Pavilion, 80 Jordan St., 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thursdays through Oct. and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays through Oct.; 685-0427, townofskaneateles.com.

St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center’s Mobile Market: in front of St. Joseph’s College of Nursing, 206 Prospect Ave., Syracuse, 1 to 4:30 p.m. Wednesdays, starting June, through close of season; email community.relations@sjhsyr.org.

Upstate Farmers Market: Upstate University Hospital at Community General parking lot, 4900 Broad Road, Syracuse, 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Thursdays, starting late June through Oct.; 464-5180

Upstate Farmers Market: Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital parking lot, 1 Children’s Place, Syracuse, 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Fridays, starting late June , through Oct.; 464-5180.

Last updated June 3, 2020