Campus Life

Farmers market in Hershey among Pa. leaders in competition

The Farmers Market in Hershey is among five farmers markets in Pennsylvania that are leading the 2011 America’s Favorite Farmers Markets contest.

The market is conveniently located just west of the Penn State Hershey Medical Center campus, between the Englewood Barn and the Cocoa Beanery at 1215 Research Blvd., Hummelstown, Pa., off of Bullfrog Valley Road. It is open 3-7 p.m. on Thursdays. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/farmersmarketinhershey.

Voting is now under way to select “America’s Favorite Farmers Markets” at http://www.farmland.org/vote online. The contest is a nationwide challenge to see which markets can rally the most support from their communities. Online voting opened June 1 and runs through Aug. 31, when four winning markets -- one large, one medium, one small, and one boutique -- will receive the title of America’s Favorite Farmers Market for 2011. For the first time this year, the market in each state with the most votes will also receive a prize.

“We are thrilled to be included among the leading markets in Pennsylvania,” said Danny George, co-founder and director of the market and an assistant professor at Penn State College of Medicine. “I hope that fans of the market who have not yet voted will support us by going to www.farmland.org/vote and selecting the Farmers Market in Hershey."

According to contest rules, people can vote for as many participating farmers markets as they choose, but they can only vote for each market once.

The America’s Favorite Farmers Markets contest is hosted by American Farmland Trust, the nation’s leading conservation organization dedicated to saving America’s farm and ranch land, promoting environmentally sound farming practices, and supporting a sustainable future for farms. The contest is a part of the organization’s No Farms No Food® campaign, which raises awareness of the dangers of farmland loss by making connections to food.

“There would be no local food without local farms and farmland,” said American Farmland Trust President Jon Scholl. “People can make a real difference in the economic health of their communities by shopping at farmers markets, participating in CSAs, and buying direct from the farm.”

Last Updated July 14, 2011

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