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Award-winning Summer fun begins at markets loaded with fresh produce
 Farmer’s market enthusiasts understand the value and health benefits of flavorful produce purchased from area farmers. (Photographs by Rob Wetzler)
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By SALI McSHERRY
Blue oyster, shiitake, Lion’s Mane, Trumpet Royale, Maritake and wine cap mushrooms are some of the varieties from Killbuck Valley Farms in Wayne County shoppers will find at the very robust North Union Farmers Market in Greater Cleveland.
From award-winning chevre from Mackenzie Creamery in Hiram, heirloom Berkshire pork, sweet butter and a zillion types of fresh greens, the markets also bustle with vendors bringing breads, grains, eggs, meats, cheeses, homemade pasta, honey and so much more, including wares from local artisans.
While tomatoes and sweet corn have typically found their way at the top of the list of most-sought-after produce, berries have become the number one seller, said Donita Anderson, founder and executive director of NUFM.
Berries — from ripe raspberries, blueberries, elderberries, blackberries and a host of varieties of strawberries tempt the taste buds and grow well under the Northeast Ohio sun in the summer months. And, they can travel in trucks to who knows where and still be at their best. When bought fresh from the farmer, fruit has better flavor and a higher amount of nutrients, Ms. Anderson said.
Some of the best chefs in Cleveland rely on NUFM to supply their restaurants, with over 30 partnerships formed, Ms. Anderson said. Buying local for many chefs and heads of households was going on long before it became cool. And it’s evolved grandly — people are changing the way they cook and the way they eat. People are realizing they really can find everything they need to fill their table from the farm to the table, she said.
The Shaker Heights NUFM, which started 16 years ago, hosts 4,000 to 5,000 people in a four-hour time period on a Saturday. The partnership with Crocker Park, which began six years ago, attracts 2,000 to 3,000 customers on a Saturday morning, she said. The market in Chagrin Falls, which commenced three years ago and has a “Martha’s Vineyard” appeal, was an instant success, she added.
The markets have seen an amazing increase of 20 percent in sales, Ms. Anderson said. Last year sales were up 20 to 40 percent from the previous year.
Named one of the top 20 American farmers markets by American Farmland Trust, NUFM, founded in 1995, operates certified, producer-only farmers markets.
And, the nonprofit also knows how to throw a party — a benefit in this case, called “Farm to Table,” Aug. 30 with chef, author and local food advocate Deborah Madison, the founding chef of San Francisco’s Greens restaurant. Proceeds will benefit NUFM and Cleveland Botanical Garden Green Corps.
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