Farmers@Firehouse brings the best of the fields to the heart of the city every Saturday.

Market history:
The Farmers@Firehouse Market was founded in 2002 by a few impassioned members of Penn’s Corner Farm Alliance. These area growers, organic in philosophy, wanted Pittsburgh to have its first organic market. They set up tables that year in the Strip District in space at the historic Firehouse property provided by owners Ray and Susan Werner, for whom organic food was important. Since 2004 the Market has operated under by-laws and a board made up of vendors and community representatives. Since 2005, the market been professionally managed. This year the Market will solicit the input of a community advisory body.

Market thrives and grows:
With quality organic produce and carefully produced protein, small-batch artisan prepared foods, weekly emails to almost 1,000 alerting market-goers to “what’s fresh” and lively chef demos throughout the season, the customer base is ever growing. Word gets around to come early for best pickins’, as many vendors sell out. Typical growers in our group operate intense organic farming operations on less than 20 acres. Robust sales at the market have been a major contributor to renewed vitality of this valuable kind of farming.

Strict rules:
Farmers@Firehouse is a producers-only market. That means the person selling it, with a few exceptions, grew it. Vendors may occasionally bring in seasonal specialties grown by others, such as fruit or cheese which they do not produce themselves.

Growers must be Certified Organic or Certified Nationally Grown. CNG is an equally demanding alternate certification program created for small-scale organic growers.

If any of the products are not certified organic or transitioning to organic they must be labeled “conventionally produced.”

Our processed food vendors are asked to meet as nearly as possible the standards governing farm products. This means regional, seasonal and traditional foods produced in small-scale artisan ways that respect the environment. Local sourcing when feasible is prioritized.

Farmers@Firehouse mission: We will work the land with the respect it deserves, grow our products with the care it takes, deliver to our customers the quality they expect and treat each other, always, with the respect we have worked so hard to earn. By doing this, we will help build a sustainable future for our families and for our customers’ families. Further, to achieve this, we will:

--Stay at the forefront of best practices in organic and sustainable farming.

--Build strong relationships with our customers through excellent and consistent service, education and quality.

--Create a partnership of local organic and sustainable farmers built on a foundation of integrity and mutual respect.

--Stay true to our belief that few things in life are more satisfying, or better for you, than the tastes and flavors of fresh, locally grown farmers’ products.

--Pursue our goal of making Farmers@Firehouse the most admired and enjoyable farmers’ market in the Pittsburgh area.

Market Organization:
Farmers@Firehouse Market is professionally managed and directed by a board of member growers and community representatives.

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