For 85 years, the Scranton Co-Op Farmer’s Market has been a staple of the community. For nearly 75 years, Logan Brace’s family has been a part of it.
Brace’s family have owned Brace’s Orchard in Dallas for 196 years. His family sells a variety of fruits, baked goods, and ciders at farmer’s markets across Northeast Pennsylvania. Brace said the Scranton Co-Op provides their largest customer base.
“This one is by far the home run market, you know, just because you have the permanent roof, permanent tables… We definitely prefer it here,” he said.
On Monday, the Scranton Co-Op Farmer’s Market opened to a crowd of excited customers and farmers eager to sell their goods. Each year, from mid-July until Thanksgiving, the farmer’s market provides the community with fresh food and goods.
The market is open every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from noon to 6 p.m. Brace said the market is an important opportunity for local farmers.
“Without the customers here, my business is no longer in business, you know… there's 18 farmers here… we all need this market, there's a few growers that this is their only market,” he said.
Lorraine Falzetti, 82, sat and watched the hustle and bustle in front of her.
“I enjoy coming here to sit and watch the people – I’m a people watcher,” she said with a laugh.
Falzetti has been coming to the farmer’s market for over 60 years. Over the years, Falzetti said things have changed.
“Things have gotten much more expensive, but everything else in the world in 50 years has gotten expensive,” she said.
Falzetti spoke about the community impact of the farmers market while recalling stories from her childhood.
“You see a lot of the same people that you haven’t seen since last year… there’s one vendor… he used to come around and sell his produce house-to-house out of his truck – He’d be knocking on my mother’s door… and he’s still here!” Falzetti said.
For both Brace and Falzetti, supporting their community is the biggest draw of the market.
“All that stuff that’s coming in the supermarkets? You don’t know where it’s coming from. But this is coming from Clarks Summit, Fleetville, all the local places, and let’s face it – it’s not an easy job being a farmer,” Falzetti said.
“It really helps the farmers, and it helps the community,” Brace said.
The Scranton Co-Op Farmer’s Market is not the only local farmers market in Northeast Pennsylvania. Other local options include:
- Back Mountain Farmers Market: Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., until October 26.
- Berwick Farmers Market: Saturdays, 7 a.m. to noon until October.
- Bloomsburg Fair Farmers Market: Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. until September 7.
- Carbondale Farmers Market: Thursdays, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m, year-round.
- Hawley Farmers Market: Fridays, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. until late October.
- Hillside Park Farmers Market: Thursdays, 2 p.m. to 6 p.m until November.
- Hometown Farmers Market, Tamaqua: Wednesdays, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m year-round.
- Lehighton Downtown Farmers Market: Saturdays, 9 a.m. to noon year-round.
- Milford Farmers Market: Thursdays: 3 to 7 p.m. until October 10.
- Monroe Farmers Market, Stroudsburg: Saturdays, 8 a.m. to noon year-round.
- Mountain Top Farmers Market: Sundays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. until October.
- Newfoundland Farmers Market: Saturdays,10 a.m. to 2 p.m. until October.
- Pittston City Farmers Market: Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m until late November.
- South Side Farmers Market, Scranton: Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. year-round.
- Stroudsburg Old Time Farmers Market: Saturdays,8 a.m. to noon until October 29.
- Tunkhannock Farmers Market: Saturdays,9 a.m. to 1 p.m. until October 26
- Wayne County Farmers Market: Honesdale:Saturdays,9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. through October.
- Wilkes-Barre Farmers Market: Thursdays,10 a.m. to 3 p.m. until November 14.