Local farmers markets build community during summer season and year-round

The Carrboro Town Commons buzzed with people on Saturday morning, moving from stall to stall of fresh produce, meat and dairy products and artisan goods. Live music played from the gazebo and children ran around the small playground. The Carrboro Farmers' Market was in full swing. 

A similar market scene was unfolding at the Chapel Hill Farmers' Market outside of University Place, as community members gathered to support local farmers and a local musician, Fred Hagenberger, who performed oldies and dance music. 

Both the Carrboro Farmers' Market and the Chapel Hill Farmers' Market bring together thousands of community members over the course of the summer — two critical locations which highlight how food can build community. 

Currently, the markets are operating under their main season hours. They both have a weekday market — Tuesdays from 3-6 p.m. for the Chapel Hill market and Wednesdays from 3-6 p.m. for the Carrboro market — and extended hours for their Saturday markets. 

Maggie Funkhouser, manager of the Carrboro Farmers’ Market, said that the market tends to see more vendors and higher customer numbers during the summer months because of the abundance of popular summer produce.

“People are just really excited,” said Funkhouser, “It feels like summer.” 

On Saturday, peaches appeared at the Chapel Hill Farmers’ Market for the first time this year. Additionally, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, summer squash, fava beans and new potatoes are already at the market. 

Some farmers even offer new varieties of produce. Howard Allen, a vendor of six years at the Carrboro Farmers’ Market and owner of Faithfull Farms, said his farm is experimenting with tropical plants like moringa and hibiscus and new varieties of peppers, tomatoes and cucumbers. 

While meat and dairy products aren’t as seasonal as produce, meat and dairy sellers are also preparing for the summer season.

“The holidays kind of dictate the season of meat we’ll have,” Chantel Walker-Johnson, a Carrboro Farmers’ Market vendor and founder of Sunrising Farms, said.

She said that around major summer holidays such as Memorial Day, Juneteenth and the Fourth of July, they will likely sell more ribs, links, chicken thighs and drumsticks. 

Allen said that the increased excitement for the market during the summer months is likely due to its community atmosphere.

“It’s also a great place to hang-out, socialize, to meet people, to meet up and so forth,” he said. 

The Carrboro and Chapel Hill farmers markets facilitate a social environment with a variety of events during the summer season. In June, both markets will celebrate the bounty of local flowers, with the June in Bloom event on June 8 in Carrboro and Pollinator Day on June 22 in Chapel Hill. 

Arguably the most anticipated event of the season, Tomato Day, is coming to each market on July 13. Chapel Hill’s celebration will include an array of local tomato varieties and a tomato-tasting contest. The Carrboro celebration will also include a fresh tomato sampling, raffle and information about all the heirloom varieties. 

The Chapel Hill and Carrboro farmers markets will both host a National Farmers Market Week celebration during the first week of August. Additionally, the Chapel Hill Farmers’ Market expects to host a melon tasting and a beverage celebration this summer, while the Carrboro Farmers’ Market is slated to host the Carrboro Cookout, a celebration of local meats.

Although farmers markets may be more popular in the summer, the Chapel Hill and Carrboro markets are open year-round. The region’s temperate climate is one reason farmers can sell products throughout the year. Many local vendors also employ strategies such as high tunnels, which are greenhouse-like plastic crop coverings, to extend the growing season and have found varieties of seasonal crops that will grow year-round. 

The Chapel Hill and Carrboro farmers markets are also committed to improving the accessibility of fresh, locally grown food to low-income households through the Double Bucks program, a way that SNAP and EBT users can double their spending power at the farmers market. 

For those unable to buy all their groceries at the farmers market, Funkhouser encourages them to support local farmers when possible.

“[It’s] one of the most powerful things that we as individuals can do to support a resilient food system,” she said.