HistoricOmaha

The Omaha Farmers Market starts up again 8:00 am on Saturday, May 5th in the Old Market, 11th & Jackson.

This early in the season, the harvest will be limited to asperagus, lettuce, spinach, rhubarb, turnips & radishes. You can also buy vegetable, herb, and flower plants for your own garden. There are a variety of other great vendors: organic beef, fresh eggs, organic chickens, mustards, honey, cut flowers, cheeses, and a variety of crafts.

Freshness, flavor and fun! You’ll find it at the Omaha Farmers Market! Shop weekly for the freshest in locally grown fruits and vegetables, along with specialty items such as baked goods, bedding plants, flowers, jams and jellies, salsas, coffees, honey, barbeque sauces, organic foods, ethnic foods and much more. The Market offers nearly 4,000 shoppers each week a unique opportunity to purchase direct from the ‘grower’ or ‘producer,’ allowing for an exchange of information regarding nutrition, cooking methods and even planting recommendations.

The Farmers Market is a great Saturday morning summer routine.It is great to buy fresh produce, and in so doing, eat healthier and support local growers and businesses. Buy fresh, buy local.

• You’ll get exceptional taste and freshness.
  The average “fresh” food item travels 1,500 to 2,500 miles to get to your dinner table. Local food is fresher and tastes better than food shipped long distances. Local farmers can offer produce varieties bred for taste and freshness rather than for shipping and long shelf life.
• You’ll strengthen your local economy.
  Buying local food keeps your hard-earned dollars circulating in your community. Getting to know the farmers who grow your food builds relationships based on understanding and trust, the foundation of strong communities.
• You’ll support endangered family farms.
  Each year in Nebraska we lose 1% of our farms. This means that one out of every ten farms goes out of business each decade! There has never been a more critical time to support your farming neighbors. With each local food purchase, you ensure that more of your money spent on food goes to the farmer.
• You’ll safeguard your family’s health.
  Knowing where your food comes from and how it is grown or raised enables you to choose safe food from farmers who avoid or reduce their use of chemicals, pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, or genetically modified seed. Buy food from local farmers you trust.
• You’ll protect the environment.
  Local food doesn’t have to travel far. This reduces greenhouse gas emissions, pollution and packaging materials. Also, because local foods are bred for taste and quality rather than durability for transport, local foods encourage biodiversity.

– BuyLocalNebraska.org