Butler County farmers markets benefit local economy

The markets not only help build a locally produced food system, but also benefit the local economy, he said.

“Before the revitalization of the downtown (in Hamilton), the farmers market was the only constant downtown,” Hall said. “It’s extremely important for local artisans, crafts people and local producers to give them a distribution channel for the products they create and produce they grow.”

The city of Fairfield kicked off its inaugural Village Green Farmers Market on Wednesday, debuting a couple dozen local producers.

And people appear to be excited for the market season to start.

“If you look, I think you can see,” said Debra Liston, taking in the few dozen people traversing from booth to booth around Fairfield’s market, which sits in the parking lot between Fairfield Lane Library and Village Green Park.

Liston owns Fairfield-based Mwimbula Coffee Roasters and said farmers markets are “really a city gathering spot and people are really interested in local stuff.”

That excitement was further seen at a booth for Katie’s Classic Cookies. The business sold out of product in less than 90 minutes.

“We have never sold so many so quickly, we have never sold at the pace that we sold today,” said Lynne Toensmeyer, who owns the business with her daughter, Katie Toensmeyer. “We have not stopped.”

And when the calendar turns to May, more farmers markets will populate the county, including in Hamilton, Liberty Twp., West Chester Twp. and Oxford.

Here are farmers markets in Butler County:

FAIRFIELD

FAIRFIELD TWP.

HAMILTON

HANOVER TWP.

LIBERTY TWP.

WEST CHESTER TWP.

OXFORD