Farmers’ market to mark 20 years with late-September harvest fest

FOR two decades, Carlow Farmers’ Market has been a staple of Saturdays in the town centre. Every week, traders gather at Potato Market from early morning, delighting customers with freshly-grown local produce. To mark the occasion, the market is set to celebrate with a very special harvest festival on 28 September in The Exchange.

The market bills itself as a "vibrant hub, bringing together farmers, producers, and community members in a celebration of food, culture, and community spirit". Featuring a diverse range of stalls, each offering a unique selection of goods, from freshly harvested fruits and vegetables to meat, fish, mushrooms, handcrafted cheeses, bread, pastries, preserves and hot food, there is truly something for everyone.

Chair of Carlow Farmers’ Market, James Murphy of The Haggart Farm in Clonegal, has been a member for the last seven years. He told The Nationalist that the market has grown a lot over the years, particularly since Covid.

“We have over 20 traders there every week, in all weathers, all year round,” he said, adding that the opening of a dedicated sheltered space at The Exchange has had a “huge” impact. “It serves as a meeting spot for customers, people stay and have a chat and meet friends. There’s always a buzz around,” he said.

As a member of the Carlow food network, the farmers’ market represents some of the best food producers and works to promote Carlow as a food destination. The harvest festival will be the first event in Carlow Restaurant Week, where eateries across the county will feature the highest quality seasonal ingredients the county has to offer. On the day, tasting sessions will be available, as two chefs will be onsite creating delicious dishes from the 20-plus market stallholders and producers, as well as the usual selection of street food and crafts.

This is the third year of the harvest festival and James said local producers are hoping for continued growth. Anyone interested in getting involved in Carlow Farmers’ Market will find more information at carlowfarmersmarket.com.