Farmer's Markets have been a part of human society for as long and we've lived within societies. The first recorded Farmer's Market took place in Egypt over 5000 years ago, well into the B.C. era. When King Tutankhamen's tomb was discovered in 1923, many of the treasures he was buried with were inscribed with details of his kingdom. Because of their hieroglyphics and culture were well documented, we we're able to trace the origin of the Farmer's Market back to the edge of the Nile River. Farmer's Markets continued to spread across the world and eventually reached the U.S.
Image of Wood County Farmers Market, 2016
The first Farmer's Market in the United States took place in Boston Massachusetts, 1634, and quickly spread throughout the country. However, as grocery stores were developed and gained popularity from the 1700's-1900's, the popularity of Farmer's Markets subsequently declined. This can be attributed to the growing competition with other food systems, especially after the development of roads and highways that allowed food to travel farther distances.
The resurgence of Farmer's Markets came in the 1970's, when people started reminiscing on the fresh, healthy food they found there, and demand for Farmer's Markets once increased. However, legislation had been passed preventing farmer's from selling their produce outside or in an open market setting, so the laws did not reflect this demand until the 1980's. It was during this time that the farmers markets intersected with the environmental movement. In large university cities, Madison, Wisconsin being noted, consumers and farmers interacted more and more as people wanted fresh tasting, environmentally conscious grown products. Once there was no legislation to inhibit Farmer's Markets, they boomed. Between 1994 and 2008, the number of markets rose by 300%. Since then, markets have continued to flourish. You can now find over 300 Farmer's Markets in Wisconsin alone. To find the one closest to you, click here.
Seasonal chart of produce you can find in Wisconsin by season.
In recent times across the United States, popularity of local food systems and farmers markets grew since the start of COVID-19 pandemic. People started to explore outdoor activities, found them to be more reliable than large food retailors, and there was a strong sense of desire to support local businesses. Farmer's Markets were also seen as a safer option than going to the grocery store.
Most importantly, they helped relieve food insecurity nation-wide for the 45 million people (15 million children) who became food insecure due to the pandemic (2020). There was an observed 40% increase in SNAP benefits being used at markets to buy produce (2020) The resilience of the Farmers Markets and the support they gave to the community is not lost on us two years later. In Central Wisconsin, a USDA grant has allowed a team of public health leaders, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and Madison alum and students to research how to use markets to support lower income people in the region have more access to fresh foods. They are looking into the impact FoodShare has on healthy eating, the distance people are traveling to the market, where else they shop, and more to learn about the spending habits of consumers and to see if FoodShare and EBT (electronic benefits transfer) is a sustainable option at the various markets in Central Wisconsin. Another important aspect of this work is removing the social stigma behind using FoodShare and EBT. These programs help support individuals purchase food, ranging from full-time students, working parents, elders, and everyone in between who qualifies through income and other standards. To learn more about FoodShare and EBT, visit the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. To read more about the team researching at the market, the article is available through the University of Wisconsin- Stevens Point.
With fall officially started, outdoor markets may be coming to an end. But they are still flourishing with seasonal produce and value added products all the way to the end. Stay tuned, as there may be a winter market coming to a town near you!
Stay Curious,
Neena & Maddie
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