PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Maybe you love shopping at small businesses and supporting local farmers...or maybe you don't have a space for a garden of your own.
Now you can get everything you need at some of the best farmers markets in our area!
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Every Tuesday and Saturday you can take a walk around Rittenhouse Square Park and check out what the Rittenhouse Farmers Market has in store. One loop around the square might take a while, as you won't be able to stop yourself from checking out the variety of vendors with fruits, vegetables, meats, fish, and local bakeries, ice creameries and distilleries.
Since 2004, the Fairmount Farmers Market has set up right across the street from Eastern State Penitentiary. Year-round on Thursdays you can stock your kitchen with fresh products like coffee, eggs, chicken and freshly baked breads.
You'll feel right at home at Captain Andy's Market in Wyndmoor, mainly because the place is packed with what feels like the entire town on any given day of the week! It's a quaint space, but filled with everything you need, and I had a personal tour with the captain himself.
They're famous for their quality meat and seafood, and fruits and veggies picked right off of New Jersey farms. If you've never heard of cotton candy grapes, you should get some immediately! (They blew my mind!)You could also make your life a little easier with some of their pre-prepared dishes, and maybe spring for a crab cake. (They sell 10,000 crab cakes a year!) I sampled some cheese tortellini with grilled white meat chicken and sun-dried tomatoes, and a scoop of homemade chicken salad with bacon. I must say, I get the hype.
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Since 1928 Suburban Square has been the go-to shopping center for the Main Line. The Ardmore Farmers Market is a staple there too, and in this large space there's no shortage of produce, meat, seafood, and even a selection of the very best products from Philly's own Di Bruno brothers.
Weavers Way Farm Market is a community-owned grocery store open to the public on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday at Saul Agricultural High School. The market collaborates with the school providing education, as the students and teachers manage the farm themselves. And as the students get to learn about sustainable vegetable production and distribution, you get a quality product made with a purpose.
Next, I headed back to my Jersey roots, to Springdale Farm Market in Cherry Hill. There's a giant plant nursery on site, and a huge selection of all the produce you could dream of. I thought they had me when I found my favorite flowers...but in talking with customers I was hearing some buzz about what they do best: the apple cider donut! Baked fresh right here, every day since 1949.