Burlington County is well known for its agricultural community. It is even having the annual Burlington County Farm Fair this week from July 14 to July 19 to celebrate the agriculture and products the county has to offer. However, there is a way to get Burlington County produce and products every week during the summer, rather than once a year, and that is at the Burlington County Farmers’ Market.
In its ninth season, Burlington County operates a weekly community farmers’ market featuring more than 50 vendors. The market is held every Saturday May through October from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Burlington County Community Agricultural Center, 500 Centerton Road.
“It’s a great opportunity for residents to come and check out the Agricultural Center and see all the local vendors and goods that they are selling,” Eric Arpert, public information officer for Burlington County, said.
Since the Burlington County Farmers’ Market’s beginning nine years ago at the Burlington County Community Agricultural Center, the market has continued to grow.
“It is a great venue and a very area-appropriate space for the market,” Arpert said.
At the market, visitors will notice as they park that there is an outside area and an indoor area. Outside, there are vendors and tents set up as well as live musical entertainment. Inside, there are more vendors with everything from produce to art.
The market offers a multitude of products such as fresh produce, herbs, meats, cheeses, baked goods, flowers, prepared foods and artist creations all by local vendors. There are vendors from all over Burlington County, including Moorestown vendors Darmo’s Farm, Little Hooves Romneys, Our Shared Ground, B & P Creations, Forever Somewhere and Green Cow Studio.
“We have many great vendors and they’re all local,” Arpert said.
Also inside is the Agricultural Center’s new kitchen. Improvements were made to the kitchen in 2013, and in 2014, the farmers’ market added the new program of cooking demonstrations. With the success of it last year, they decided to bring the cooking demonstrations back this year, held almost every Saturday.
“It really is a state-of-the-art kitchen. Anyone who hasn’t seen it should check it out,” Arpert said.
The Burlington County Farmers’ Market also provides musical entertainment each Saturday, ask a master gardener every second and fourth Saturday, and storytelling for kids with the Moorestown Library once a month.
The farmers’ market is very family and pet friendly. People of all ages come to the market from young to old. Specifically for children, there is occasionally entertainment such as music and storytelling. Also, visitors like to bring their pets to walk through and enjoy the market.
“The market is a very family friendly event. We also have a very pet friendly environment,” Arpert said. “It is tremendous seeing all the residents come out and enjoy the different aspects of the community and all that Burlington County has to offer in one place.”
For more information on vendors and scheduled programs, visit burlcoagcenter.com.
“I hope they will see what Burlington County has to offer. I hope they buy and see the advantages to buying local products and produce. And I hope they come back,” Arpert said.
