Mission
The Lexington Farmers’ Market exists to provide a living wage for farmers; sustain farms & farm land; provide Lexington with fresh, high-quality, accessible agricultural products; and stimulate the local economy.
History
In the early 1970s, farmers, with the leadership of Pam Miller (later to become Mayor of Lexington), fought for the ability to bring local produce into the heart of Downtown Lexington. This fight eventually resulted in farmers from across Central Kentucky banding together to launch an new organization .
Established in 1975 as the Farm and Garden Market Cooperative Association (more commonly known as The Lexington Farmers’ Market or LFM) is a cooperative run by a group of farmers who are elected by member farmers to serve as the Board of Directors. While the LFM partners with many neighborhoods, community groups, and government agencies, it is an independent not-for-profit organization.
The Lexington Farmers’ Market operates a year-round market in Downtown Lexington in Henry A Tandy Centennial Park (formerly Cheapside Park) and the area around the Historic Old Courthouse. While in the winter the number of growers that attend the market shrinks, by May the markets expands to over 50 farmers at seasonal locations that cover five days each week. Some of our farmers only come to the market during the peak seasons for their specialties, such as mid-summer for sweet corn or tomatoes, but others come year round with value-added or expanded product lines.
In 2005, the LFM launched a new Sunday market on Southland Dr. The Sunday market instantly became a big hit with customers. It is now nearly as large as our Saturday market downtown. We continue to look for lasting and innovative ways to meet the needs of our members and our customers!
The Lexington Farmers’ Market is an official Kentucky Proud Registered Farmers’ Market
