By Crystal Stevens
St. Louis is a thriving farm-to-table community! Did you know there are over 120 farms, over 30 CSA Farms, and nearly 100 Farmers Markets within 100 miles of St. Louis? Within 30 miles of St. Louis, there are over 200 flourishing Community Gardens that function with the guidance and support of Gateway Greening.
More and more consumers are realizing the importance of supporting local farmers, choosing organic, and making healthier food choices. It is important to keep supporting local farmers by shopping weekly at Farmers Markets.
In 2014, Slow Food St. Louis created the Farm to Table Food Loop, a directory of farms and producers in the St. Louis foodshed. “We feel that by creating a directory of farmers and defining their agricultural practices we can add significant value to locally produced foods and motivate end consumers to support local farmers with their food dollars,” says board co-president Terry Winkelmann.
The Slow Food St. Louis Farm to Table Food Loop Directory, currently being updated, surveys local farmers and producers on their growing practices and animal husbandry philosophy, and helps consumers find out where they can purchase local fruits, vegetables, dairy, meat and grain. This year, Slow Food St. Louis is partnering with the St. Louis Food Policy Coalition, part of the Missouri Coalition for the Environment, to revamp the directory with new and complete information.
The Missouri Coalition for the Environment has been working on the St. Louis Regional Food Study and have plotted resources within the 100-mile radius of St. Louis on an interactive online map that lists farms, farmers markets, CSA farms, gardens, as well as restaurants and grocers that support local farmers. (The St. Louis Regional Foodshed) In creating this map, they want to promote only those businesses that truly and regularly support local farmers. They’ve provided sourcing connections that were listed by farmers, either on their farm websites or through Slow Food STLs directory. According to the MCE Land and Farm Fact Sheet in the St. Louis Regional Food Study, “The St. Louis area has over 1,200 vegetable farming operations. 37 counties also have organic crop faming, taking place on roughly 3,000 acres in the region.”
Check out MCE’s Interactive Local Foodshed Map!
In addition to exploring the resources listed above, take some time to explore our region’s food system and get to know other sustainable farms, businesses that support local food, and markets within the St. Louis Regional Foodshed! Missouri Coalition for the Environment (MCE) hopes this interactive map will serve as a useful tool to foster connections between the different parts of the food system and to allow consumers to support them. The map includes gardens, farms, CSAs, grocery stores that sell a lot of locally-sourced products, restaurants that source many ingredients locally, and the location of community-based organizations working to support local food and food security in the region. Visit MCE’s Interactive Local Foodshed Map at www.moenvironment.org/foodshedmap.
EarthDance Organic Farm School is a teaching farm, sharing the craft and science of organic farming with people from all walks of life. Their 14-acre historic farm provides a model of regenerative food production. Through their Organic Farm School programs, EarthDance cultivates food leaders alongside abundant fresh produce. Each year, EarthDance trains 25 beginning farmers through the Farm and Garden Apprenticeship Program. Visit www.earthdancefarms.org for more information.
Resources:
- Gateway Greening: www.gatewaygreening.org/gardens
- Missouri Coalition for the Environment: www.moenvironment.org
- Slow Food Saint Louis: www.slowfoodstl.org
- Missouri Farmers Market Association: www.missourifarmersmarkets.org
Farmers Market Guide
(1) Tower Grove Farmers Market
Tues. 4-7pm, Sat. 8am-12:30pm
Tower Grove Park
Center Cross Dr, St. Louis, MO 63116. Winter Markets are held December through March (once per month) 8am-12pm. 1618 Tower Grove Ave., St. Louis, MO, 63110
www.tgmarket.org.
(2) Ferguson Farmers Market
Sats, 8am- 12 pm, May-Oct.
PLAZA 501, 501 S. Florissant Rd.,
Ferguson MO 63135
Winter Market
3rd Saturday 9am – Noon
St. Stephens Episcopal Church
33N Clay, Ferguson MO 63135
Winter: St. Stephens Episcopal
(3) Schlafly Farmers Market
Wed. nights, 4-7pm from
April through October
7260 Southwest Avenue
Maplewood, MO, 63143
Winter Markets are held one Saturday a month, Nov. – March, 8:30am-12pm.
www.schlaflyfarmersmarket.com
(4) Midtown Farmers Market
in the U-City Loop
Sat. 8:30am-1:00pm April 16-Nov. 12
6655 Delmar University City MO 63130
www.midwestfarmersmarkets.org
(5) Bevo Farmers Market
Tuesday nights 5pm-8pm
The Heavy Anchor
5226 Gravois Ave, St. Louis 63116
www.facebook.com/bevofarmersmarket
(6) Arnold Farmers Market
May-October, 8am-12pm
2400 Bradley Beach Road
Arnold, MO
facebook.com/pg/arnoldfarmersmarket
(7) Creve Coeur Farmers’ Market
12320 Olive Blvd, Creve Coeur MO
Saturdays 8am-12pm, May- October
creve-coeur.org/750/Farmers-Market
(8) Overland Farmers Market
Mid May-late October, Sat. 8am-12:30
2500 Woodson Road
Overland, MO
www.overlandfarmersmarket.com
(9) Olde Towne Farmers Market
May through September
Saturdays 8:00am – 1:00pm
200 Gravois , Fenton, MO
facebook.com/FentonFarmersMarket
(10) Eureka Farmers’ Market
May through October, First and Third Thurs. of each month, 3:30pm-7pm
394 South Central Avenue
Eureka, Missouri 63025
facebook.com/eurekamofarmersmarket
(11) Lake St. Louis Farmers’ Market
April-November, Saturdays 8am-12pm
Lakeshore Meadows Drive
Lake St. Louis, MO 63038
lakestlouisfarmersandartistsmarket.com
(12) Wildwood Farmers Market
Saturdays, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m
Late May-early October
City Hall (16860 Main Street, 63040)
(13) Byrne’s Mill Farmers’ Market
Hwy 30 and Route W
Byrne’s Mill, MO 63051
(14) St. Charles Lions Farmers Mkt.
May-October, Saturdays
500 N Riverside Dr (The Foundry Arts Center Parking Lot)
facebook.com/ FarmerMarketofStCharlesMO
(15) Belleville Old Town Market
Saturdays, May-October
South Charles at E. Main Street
Belleville, Illinois
https://www.bellevillemainstreet.net
(16) Monroe County Farmers’ Mkt.
Saturdays 7:30-12pm, May-October
100 Plaza Dr. Waterloo, IL 62298
www.facebook.com/Monroe-County-IL-Farmers-Market-316315321779010/
(17) The Farmers & Artists Market
Festus Main
105 Bailey Rd,Crystal City, MO, 63019
(19) Soulard Farmers Market
Wednesday-Saturday
730 Carroll St. (at 7th St.)
St. Louis, MO
www.soulardmarket.com
(20) Alton Farmers Market
Saturdays 8am-12pm
Wednesdays 4pm-7pm
501 Landmarks Blvd (12.64 mi)
Alton, Illinois 62002
facebook.com/AltonFarmersMarket
(21) 13th Street Community Garden Market
2700-14 N 13th St, St. Louis 63106
The 13th Street Community Garden is open to the public on Tuesday evenings from 6pm- 8pm, and Saturday mornings from 8 am- Noon.
(22) Land of Goshen Com. Market
Saturdays, North 2nd Street, St Louis St, Edwardsville, IL 62025
www.goshenmarket.org
(23) St. Clair Farmers Market
Sat. 8am – 12 noon. May-Oct. 324 Brueggemann Farm Road, St. Clair Mo 63077
636-629-8749
Stclairmo.org
(24) Kirkwood Farmers Market
Mon-Fri, 9am-8pm, Sat, 8am-5pm, April – Sept. 130 E. Jefferson, Kirkwood MO 63122
downtownkirkwood.com
(25) Union Farmers Market
Sat., 6am-11am, April-Oct. 500 E. Locust St. Union, MO 63084
636-583-3600
(26) Washington Farmers Market
Sat. 8am-1pm, April – Oct.
317 W. Main St. 636-239-2715
washmomarket.com
(27) Warren County Farmers & Artisans Market
Thurs. 3:30pm – 6:30pm The Warren County Farmers & Artisans Market now has two locations: Diekroeger Park in Wright City, MO and the Pavilion behind City Hall in Warrenton, MO. 636-456-1080
(28) Sullivan Farmers Market
Sat. May – Sept. , 8am to 12pm.
573-468-3314 or chamber@fidnet.com
For other Farmers Markets not listed here, please Google Farmers Market in your area.