Welcome to the Monroe Farm Market website!
The Monroe Farm Market, Inc. is comprised of over 20 small and diverse farmers located in Monroe and adjacent counties who produce meat, eggs, fruits, vegetables, and honey. They are family owned and operated from small 2 acre farms to several hundred acres of orchards and cattle farms.
Our farmers use either sustainable agriculture or organic practices. Fresh clean water flows through the county from several creeks and many farms have natural springs.
Farmers sell their bounty at our local farm market in Union, WV from May to October on Thursdays from 1 to 5:30 pm at the Union Senior Center starting May 13th and here on our website year-round.
Our History
In 2005, our local farmers realized the need for a local farm market and began the task of organizing the Monroe Farm Market, Inc. with the help of the WVU Extension Office.
By May 2006, the Monroe Farm Market in Union opened. That same summer, sales to restaurants were established in Lewisburg, Charleston and Buckhannon.
On April 2008, the Monroe Farm Market Online Farmers Market formed for buyers in the Charleston, Beckley and the Monroe County area. We have a customer base of 80 online members and various restaurants dedicated to locally grown food.
Our future goals are to continue to grow our Online Farmers Market, restaurant participation, and include establishments who are interested in providing fresh, local grown foods for their clients and patrons. In this way we can help feed our families and yours.
Why Support Locally Grown?
Enhance local economy: By purchasing produce and other items from Monroe Farm Market growers, you are providing stability to West Virginia’s economy through the support of local businesses.
Save natural resources: Buying locally makes you an invaluable link in the process of saving resources such as fossil fuels and packaging materials. Since MFM products come from West Virginia, the expense of transportation and delivery is less than products from greater distances such as California, Texas, or Florida.
Provide learning opportunities: Locally Grown supporters provide member growers the means to help educate our state about the importance of sustainable agriculture.
Supporting a way of life: The number of small farms in the United States has decreased dramatically in the last decade. Please help us preserve an honest and worthy means of making a living.
We believe that small, diverse, family-owned farms contribute to society’s overall health.
Membership Fees
To help us with our overhead costs, we ask that you pay an annual fee of $60 per household for one calendar year. You are welcome to try us for two orders before you pay the membership. The website will automatically add the membership fee to your third order.
Ordering Options
Unlike other co-ops, buying clubs, or CSAs where everyone gets the same box of stuff (and you don’t know what you’re getting until you get it), with Monroe Farm Market Online you get to order what you want, in the quantities that you want, from the farms that you want. The weekly email lists the produce, milled products, fresh flowers, and artisan goods available that week, and you can browse the items on this website before you place your order.
Other Important Items
Placing Orders
We take your orders every other week from October to June and every week from July to September. Each Monday at noon a list of available products is sent to everyone with an account here by e-mail. Customers must place their order for the week here on our website any time after that email goes out, but no later than Tuesday at 12:00 p.m. We will then have your ordered items available at our pick-up sites on the following Thursday.
Growers receive their orders on Tuesday evening and harvest that Wednesday.
Picking Up Orders
Orders are picked up on Thursday of delivery weeks.
Beckley: approximately 1:30 p.m. at the ‘Shell’ station at the Grandview exit of interstate 64.
Charleston: 4-6 p.m., 520 Kanawha Blvd. at the Unitarian Universalist Church.
Union: 12:00- 12:30 p.m. at the Wickline Farm 1/2 mile out of Union on Rt. 3 east across from ‘The Country Store’
Gift Certificates are available!
If you would like to purchase a gift of health and flavor, please consider a Monroe Farm Market gift certificate. You can decide the amount and the lucky recipient can purchase our products without having to pay membership fees!
Still have questions?
Please email Keveney Bair at contact@monroefarmmarket.com.
Please visit our Q’s and A’s page to find out how to become a member or producer for our market.
Links
The official tourism site for Monroe
County TravelMonroe.com
West Virginia Farmers Market Association www.wvfarmers.org
WV Farm to Consumer Connection www.wvfarm2u.org
Buy Fresh, Buy Local www.foodroutes.org
MISSION STATEMENT
The purpose of this association shall not be for profit, but shall be to promote and protect the welfare of the agricultural industry in Monroe County. Monroe Farm Market will provide agricultural products whenever possible to area markets while supplying the freshest possible products to consumers. The association shall assist members in coordinating their efforts and activities on matters concerning production, marketing and education. The association will provide direct marketing opportunities, and a collaborative effort to promote the general welfare of agriculturalists in adjoining counties.