LEXINGTON, Ky. — In Lexington, elected officials and nonprofit leaders celebrated National Farmers Market Week, highlighting the important role farmer’s markets play in our community.

What You Need To Know

  • Aug. 9 was proclaimed Greater Gardenside Market Day in Lexington 

  • Greater Gardenside Market offers accessibility to fresh, locally grown produce 

  • The Greater Gardenside Association works to bring the diverse community together and bring life to the Alexandria/Lane Allen corridor 

  • The Greater Gardenside Market occurs every Wednesday in the summer

The Greater Gardenside Association’s back to school bash coincided with its weekly community market, where neighborhood residents can buy fresh, locally grown produce.

Francisco Castro says the goal of the Greater Gardenside Association is bringing people of all backgrounds together.

“It doesn’t matter where you came from, it doesn’t matter your economic status—here, we’re all together and we’re all one,” Castro said.

Castro is the president of the nonprofit. GGA exists to bring life to the Alexandria/Lane Allen Corridor. Its signature event in summer is the Gardenside Community Market.

“Our dream is to unite the residents with the businesses and promote them for the betterment of our community,” Castro said.

The market provides access to fresh produce from local growers. Residents can also use their EBT/SNAP benefits as well.

“We were only doing it once every month and in 2019 we started doing it twice a month but then we realized that there was a need and people wanting us,” Castro said.

Wednesday, Mayor Gorton and other elected officials marked August 9th as Gardenside Community Market Day. It also corresponded with National Farmer’s Market Week.

Travis Davis, a local grower at Salad Days Farm in Versailles, says they provide fresh produce but also help customers grow their own too.

“We sell plant starts every year so we’ll have people come up, buy plant starts and then they’ll take them home, grow them out and then they’ll come to us and ask questions like hey my plant is doing this what can I do different or they’re looking a little weak right now what should I be adding,” Davis said.

Gardenside Community Market partners with the Lexington Farmer’s Market. It occurs every Wednesday in the summer.

“We feel that it is helping, it’s giving back to the community that actually needs it,” Castro said.

The Greater Gardenside Association is a nonprofit, all volunteer organization. The Greater Gardenside area comprises 10,000 homes and 500 businesses.