World's Largest Farmers Markets (PHOTOS)

There is perhaps no better supplier for locavore eating then farmers markets for from farm to fork dining. There are 5,274 farmers markets in the United States. The number has grown annually since 1994, when the USDA recorded a mere 1,755 farmers markets. Over 19,000 farmers in the United States sell their produce at farmers markets. According to Planet Green's Know Your Farmers Market quiz, farmers are able to take home ninety percent of each dollar earned. Additionally, 82 percent of food sold at farmers markets is labeled organic by the USDA. Bill McKibben said, "The farmers market became our metaphor for how to think creatively about food in this country." We here at HuffPost Green couldn't agree more and so we decided to investigate some of the world's largest farmers markets.

From Australia to Spain, Wisconsin to Seattle, vote on your favorites. And as always, we want to hear from you. What are your favorite farmers markets?

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Tokyo Central Wholesale Market (Tokyo, Japan)

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The Tokyo Central Wholesale Market stretches 54 acres and hosts 1,700 stalls. It is often called "a kitchen for 12-million people." The market is composed of three markets: Tsukiji, Ohta and Adachi. Tsukiji market is notorious for being one of the world’s largest fish markets, even selling bluefin tuna and whale meat. Ohta market imports 3,272 tons of vegetables per day. While it is certainly not the greenest market, it is the largest.

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The Tokyo Central Wholesale Market stretches 54 acres and hosts 1,700 stalls. It is often called "a kitchen for 12-million people." The market is composed of three markets: Tsukiji, Ohta and Adachi. Tsukiji market is notorious for being one of the world’s largest fish markets, even selling bluefin tuna and whale meat. Ohta market imports 3,272 tons of vegetables per day. While it is certainly not the greenest market, it is the largest.

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For a database of the country's farmers markets, check out Local Harvest or find your local farmers market on the USDA's database, Know Your Farmers, Know Your Food. For a map of the nation's farmers markets, take a look at the Farmland Locator Map. You can even consider volunteering at your favorite local market.

Comments

[Rosewren]

11:29 AM on 07/15/2010

They missed one of the oldest markets in the US in Detroit. Eastern Market has been operating since 1891 and takes up 15 acres. 45000 people visit it from the US and Canada on any given Saturday. Much of the market is also adjacent to many stores or wholesalers of cheese, fish and meat that have been in families for generations.

When they have their Flower Day on May 16, it is the largest in the country.

http://vuduhippy.blogspot.com/2009/04/detroits-eastern-market.html

[Squeezer55]

11:01 AM on 07/15/2010

Granville Island Market In Vancouver BC is a great place . Plug the name into Wikipedia and see how it compares to those on this list.

[seppoyank]

09:33 AM on 07/15/2010

I lived in Melbourne for two years and I was within walking distance of Vic Market. I miss the close proximity to such beautiful produce. Just thinking about tomatoes and avocados in Australia as compared to the US makes me want to cry.

[ramal]

05:11 AM on 07/15/2010

The Dekalb Farmer's Market is a wonderful gem and one of the few good things about Atlanta.

[hbhawaii]

01:54 AM on 07/15/2010

Hilo Farmer's Market? It's what made me decide to move here.

And how about the HUGE markets in Bangkok and HCM City?

[MeltonCartes]

11:59 PM on 07/14/2010

Woohoo! San Rafael! Who knew?

[Callique]

05:17 AM on 07/16/2010

Actually, there are quite a few in San Rafael -- the link they provide goes to the downtown nocturnal "festival" Farmers' Market which is a lot of fun Thursday nights in the summer months -- but the truly amazing Farmers' Market in San Rafael is held on the Thursday and Sunday mornings at the Civic Center all year 'round. There are quite a few wonderful Farmers' Markets in Marin but San Rafael really is magnificent concerning......

[SOLERSO68]

09:58 PM on 07/14/2010

if the farm products are actually produced within 200 miles or so they are a good idea. when they are used by large supermarket chain suppliers in large cities to unload produce they couldnt sell, (produce trucked from california or mexico to massachusetts for instance) they are less usefull. but there needs to be more and more and more attention on selling and buying local. the "global market" is a sham propped up by artificially low energy costs.

[Tsheba]

06:27 PM on 07/14/2010

What about St. Lawrence Market, Toronto, Canada?

[Jack Felker]

05:19 PM on 07/14/2010

What happened to the market at the Ferry Bldg in San Francisco?

[elcerritan]

12:17 AM on 07/15/2010

The farmer's market part of that operation isn't all that big.

[Timothy Knight]

04:33 PM on 07/14/2010

In Boston there is the Haymarket. Its not an organic market, but you can get a lot of affordable produce. I love it.

[SilentSolidarity]

04:31 PM on 07/14/2010

I strongly endorse farmer's markets! We are losing billions in agricultural subsidies that don't go to the small farmers but instead to disscount stores that sell them for up to 10x of the original price they purchase from farmers. This results in a situation where 3/4 of a farmer's income comes from the government.

Also, I don't need to mention that it also tastes better. Is there one in San DIego?

[Animal Compassion]

04:05 PM on 07/14/2010

Anyone know if the majority of farmers markets are local and organic...within 100 miles of being grown and no chemicals and the like?

[Bonaboman]

03:17 PM on 07/14/2010

We need all the illegal immigrants so that the upper east siders and the rest of the tribe can get their fresh veggies cheap while they demolish the american farmer.

[godwithin]

02:53 PM on 07/14/2010

Makes me homesick for my Sicily :)

[MichelleB]

02:31 PM on 07/14/2010

The list would have made sense had it been about targest Farmers Markets in the US; in the world world, not so much. I have seen markets in Africa and Asia that are bigger than the ones in the list-- by far!

[Callique]

05:19 AM on 07/16/2010

Yes, agreed. I had just been writing about this. In Istanbul, there are not only wonderful markets -- but an enormous market for spices alone. In Africa and Asia, this is the way people live -- and in Portuguese, the days of the week are actually named for market days. Segunda-feira, terca-feira and so on.