Gainesville Farmer’s Markets: Saturday, Monday, and Wednesday

For those who have never been, Gainesville has 4 farmer’s markets at various locations throughout the week.  The farmer’s market is the best place to get your produce, as it is all locally grown and its fresher than anything that you’ll find in the store.  Right now the market is full of all different kinds of eggplant, squash, and tomatoes.  Their pretty colors and unique shapes are something you won’t see in most grocery stores. 

Tioga Town Center:  Held on Mondays from 4pm-7pm, this a rather small farmers market, with only about 10 vendors.  Great if you live in the area, but probably not worth the trip if you don’t. 

Union Street Farmer’s Market:  Probably the biggest market on this list, the Union Street Farmer’s market is held every Wednesday in downtown Gainesville from 3pm-7pm.  The goods here aren’t limited to just vegetables. In addition to fresh produce from all over the county you’ll find jewelry, handmade organic soaps, and many things in between.  Definitely worth the trip if you have the time.

Haile Plantation Farmer’s Market: Held every Saturday morning in the Village Center of Haile Plantation, this market is basically a smaller version of the Union Street Market.  Many of the same vendors attend the Haile Farmer’s Market, and there are soaps, spices, and fashion accessories to be found in addition to the fresh produce.  If you go to the Haile Market, you’ll see quite a few dogs, as many shoppers bring their pets along.  As an added bonus, after shopping you can have breakfast at one of several restaurants that line the street (see this post for more details).

Alachua County Farmer’s Market:  Located at the intersection of 441 and 34th street, this market is held every Saturday from 8:30am-1pm.  The Alachua County market is more strictly confined to produce.  You won’t find soaps and jewelry here, but there tends to be a larger selection of produce at this market. 

Farmer’s markets are everywhere, and they’re a great place to get your produce.  For more information on Gainesville and the surrounding farmer’s markets see this article by Visit Gainesville.