An outing to the Rogue Valley Growers and Crafters Market is more than just a shopping excursion. The Rogue Valley Growers and Crafters Market offers three thriving markets where the community gathers, full of educational opportunities for customers of all ages. You can find the Rogue Valley Growers and Crafters Market in Ashland on Tuesdays from 8:30-1:30 at the National Guard Armory (March-November), in Medford on Thursdays from 8:30-1:30 at Hawthorne Park (March-November), and on Saturday in Downtown Ashland from 8:30-1:00 (May-October).
Farmers’ markets are a vital part of our community, where you can meet your local farmers and makers, shop small, reduce your carbon footprint and so much more! The benefit of farmers’ markets are endless! The Rogue Valley Growers and Crafters Market is a place where local farmers, makers, bakers, crafters, and even musicians set up to sell their local goods and share their offerings with the community.
Farmers’ markets are some of the greatest spaces to take your kids to get them further engrossed in new foods and recipes. There’s such a vast assortment of foods at the Rogue Valley Growers and Crafters Market. In addition to fresh fruits and vegetables, there are usually meats and cheeses, fish and eggs, honey, baked goods, jams, and so much more. Including and introducing kids in the act of selecting new vegetables, fruits, or herbs can get them enthusiastic about trying something different and new! There are so many different foods for them to experience at a farmer’s market. You’re sure to find something tasty even for the pickiest of eaters. You might even find something delicious enough that you choose to plant it in your own garden next year!
To help promote educational opportunities at the market, we have created a Rogue Valley Growers and Crafters Market Scavenger Hunt for kids ages 17 and under. Stop by the information booth on your way into the market, to pick up a scavenger hunt your child can complete as you do your market shopping. Once completed, bring it back to the information booth for a prize (sticker or $1 market token). The scavenger hunt will change periodically, so that kids aren’t doing the same hunt throughout the season. This is a fun way for your child to learn more about the growers’ market, locally produced food and crafts, and the local food system.
Oregon Trail Cards are accepted at the information booth at all Rogue Valley Growers & Crafters Markets. Cards are swiped at the Information Booth and the participant receives $2 red market tokens in exchange. These wooden tokens can be used at any of the RVGCM markets to purchase fresh foods or plants that grow food (no crafts nor hot ready to eat foods may be purchased with these benefits). Standard SNAP restrictions apply to Oregon Trail tokens and no change is given. The Rogue Valley Growers and Crafters Market is running two grant programs at the market, for community members who are on SNAP. Double Up Food Bucks is a program that “matches” SNAP benefits spent at the Rogue Valley Growers and Crafters Markets. For every $2 of SNAP benefits you choose to spend at the market, you'll get a dollar for dollar match of up to $20 in Double Up that you can spend on fruits and vegetables at our markets. We are also running the Protein Match Program, which acts similarly to the Double Up Food Bucks Program, but is specifically for proteins, only a $10 match is provided with the Protein Match Program. If you receive SNAP benefits, you can turn $20 into $50 at our markets, while funds last.
We hope you’ll join us all season long for some family-friendly fun at the Rogue Valley Growers and Crafters Markets.
