Farmers Markets in ‘Nooga

In Chattanooga there are lots of options and ways to purchase fresh, locally grown food.

Local food is better for several reasons:

It’s fresher. A tomato grown in Chattanooga is going to be picked more recently than one grown in California and shipped to Tennessee.

It doesn’t have to travel as far. Shipping isn’t great for produce. It has to be picked sooner, packed and often bruised, and then there is the cost of moving it.

You are helping the local economy. When you buy food grown in the area, your money directly supports the farmer.

You’ll discover new varieties. Have you ever tried to buy fresh figs? If so, you probably had to go to a specialty store. Figs don’t travel well, and they have to be eaten soon after being picked. Local food vendors have items you usually don’t find in most grocery stores.

It just tastes better. Produce picked and eaten at the height of ripeness has a brighter, more vibrant flavor.

Chattanooga is rich in local food! No matter where you are, there is probably a farmers market nearby, and it seems like more of them pop up every year. Even if you can’t afford to buy all of your food at a farmers market, just buying an item or two can transform your meals.

Besides simply making food available at markets, many local farms operate Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs. When you participate in a CSA, you basically invest in a farm for a season and get your return in the form of a share of the farm’s harvest. Each week, you get a box or basket of produce, or eggs, or meat, or herbs, or some of each depending on the type of CSA you join. The best way to find a CSA is to visit a farmers market and ask around.

Here are some of the farmers markets in Chattanooga:

• The Chattanooga Market — Held at the First Tennessee Pavilion, this is probably the most well-known market in the area. You can find produce, meat, eggs, hand-crafted items, and much more every Sunday from 11-4, April-November. Market organizers have also added a Wednesday market this year — Wednesday evenings from 4-7 pm, May through October.
• Main Street Market — From 4-6pm every Wednesday, a special group of farmers and shoppers can be found at 325 East Main Street. Herbs, meat, cheese, coffee, produce, and lots of smiles!
• The River Market — This Saturday morning market offers more arts and crafts than produce, you will still find some delicious, fresh, local food. Things get started with free yoga at 10 am at the Tennessee Aquarium Plaza, and the market is open until 5pm.

In addition to these three big, well-known farmers markets, there are several community markets around town:

• Signal Mountain Market — Held at the Bachman Community Center each Thursday from 4-6pm.
• Lookout Mountain Market — Three times/days/locations: Tuesdays from 4-7pm at Audubon Acres, Thursdays from 3-7pm at City Hall on Lula Lake Road on Lookout Mountain, and Fridays from 4-7pm at the Incline Railway in St. Elmo.
• Brainerd Farmers Market — Saturday mornings from 10am-12pm in the parking lot at Grace Episcopal Church.
• St. Alban’s Farmers Market — In Hixson, on Saturdays from 10am to 1pm.
• Northside Farmers Market — on the Northshore at Northside Presbyterian Church on Saturdays from 10am to 1pm.

Did we miss any? Do you regularly shop at a farmers market? What’s your favorite thing about buying food directly from the farmers who raise it?