Farmers Markets & Orchards

Farmers and growers spend months getting their hands dirty to bring their work to market. Every string bean tells a story, every stall houses a person’s love, hard work, and determination. When you visit a farmers market in Elkhart County, you are forming a bond with the community.

Goshen Farmers Market will make your mouth water from the moment you arrive. Locally grown produce, fresh baked breads, and savory meats headline this year-round experience. Many of the offerings are organic, and some of the meats are raised hormone free. As you walk through, you can stop and chat with farmers and learn about where your food comes from. They’ll be happy to share their story while they share their food. These artisans come from around the region, and many have small stores of their own or websites, so you can keep the goodness coming once you get home.

Stop by every Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.; and from May to October, you can also pick up fresh produce every Tuesday from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

When the Shipshewana Auction & Flea Market says it has everything, they mean it! And that includes a fresh produce selection, plus food items like baked goods, dips and mixes, nuts, spices, spreads, salsas, and much more from Indiana makers. There is also a livestock and horse auction on-site, giving you more stories to tell your friends when you get home. Plan to spend several hours or maybe even block out the entire day. This is a place you won’t mind getting lost in.

You can peruse the farmers market aisle, and the entire market, every Tuesday and Wednesday from May through September, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Elkhart Farmers Market offers an amazing assortment of goods from a rotating group of vendors. It happens most Saturdays from late spring through early fall, and is definitely for the early birds, as it usually wraps up around noon. That’s perfect for people looking to source their lunch or dinner and prepare it themselves.

All of these farmers markets are generally governed by the season, so it’s a great idea to click on their links to get the dates and times. Also, several other Farmers Markets pop up over the course of the year. Be sure to look for something fresh sprouting up when you’re in the area.

The key is to be open to exploring. As you wind through the stalls and aisles, you’ll find yourself doing more than shopping, you’ll be discovering. By discovering new foods to eat and meals to cook, you’ll also be discovering a part of your culinary self you never knew existed.