Summer means warm weather, lazy days – and even better – tasty, fresh fruits and vegetables available at local farmers markets.
The Central Ohio River Valley food guide is the best place to start looking for food grown nearby. Download and print the guide for free then plan the ultimate farmer’s market trip for your family. You’ll also find sustainable restaurants, and breweries, information for growing your food, and, a harvest schedule.
If you want to stay in the Greater Cincinnati region, the Cincinnati Enquirer narrowed the 2015 food guide down to the spots closest to Queen City
Many benefits to eating local
By supporting local farmers’ markets, you are stimulating a sustainable food market that doesn’t rely on outside sources and the local economy. Eating locally grown food also decreases the distance your carrots and apples have to travel from the field to your plate.
Get your hands dirty
Get the family active by picking your produce. Strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries have relatively short harvesting seasons, so don’t wait until the end of the summer. Call the farms before your visit to find out when the berries will be ready to harvest.
You can also use PickYourOwn.org to find the farms nearest you, but here are a couple of our favorites:
Bright Star Acres in Kenton County, Kentucky
- Saturdays and Sundays, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Call (859) 356-0612 for pricing
Hidden Valley Fruit Farm & Country Store in Lebanon, Ohio
- Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Fridays and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- U-pick strawberries (available soon): $5.99 a quart
Alpine Berry Farm & Art Barn in Batesville, Indiana
- Wednesdays and Saturdays, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- U-pick blueberries: $4.00 per pound
