Farmers’ Market Grows with Community
Photos by Jamie Plain
The Owensboro Regional Farmers’ Market has become more than a place to buy fresh produce. It’s where the community comes together around food, conversation, and a shared connection to local farms.
That evolution has taken place over more than four decades, beginning in 1983 when the market was a small cluster of vendors selling seasonal produce by the river.
According to Market Manager Mary Beth Alexander, the evolution of the market has been less about changing the mission and more about expanding its reach.
“The ORFM mission has largely remained the same — to provide local access to farm-fresh products,” Alexander said.
PLANTING PERMANENT ROOTS
After the market outgrew its original riverfront home, it found a new one in the Owensboro Christian Church parking lot. While the church provided a vital staging ground, the market’s board of directors recognized that long-term growth required a more stable foundation. They began developing a vision for a dedicated, custom-built space that could house the market’s expanding ambitions.
Alexander said the decision to establish the current location at the intersection of Triplett Street and Parrish Avenue came when long-time community partner Owensboro Health offered to lease that lot.
While the market leases the space, the actual pavilion is owned by ORFM, which operates as its own registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Today, the market serves as a bridge between agriculture and wellness. Through partnerships with Owensboro Health, the space has transitioned into a local resource for those seeking a healthier lifestyle, offering more than just raw ingredients. The market now offers:
Kentucky Proud products: An expanded selection of “value-added” goods, from local honey to artisanal crafts
Agricultural education: Hands-on learning through the Daviess County Cooperative Extension Office
Youth engagement: The ORFM Kids’ Club, designed to teach the next generation where their food comes from.
A ‘GROWN OR MADE’ STANDARD
To maintain its integrity, the ORFM enforces a strict “grown or made” philosophy. All products must originate within a 50-mile radius of the market, covering 11 counties across Kentucky and Indiana. Resale is strictly prohibited.
“Our goal is two-fold: support local farmers and instill confidence in our customers that when they purchase produce and meat from the ORFM, they are speaking to the farmers who grew and produced those products on their land right here in our region,” Alexander said. “This carries forward to our baked goods vendors and our craft vendors. When you purchase goods from the ORFM, you are supporting local farmers, growers, bakers, and artists.”
While agriculture remains the priority — with a deliberate strategy to ensure that produce and meat remain the stars of the show — the market has grown to include diverse offerings. Customers can now purchase hot breakfast and lunch items directly from the same regional farmers and producers.
Alexander said the expansion into prepared foods has transformed the market into more of an event to enjoy, where customers can share a meal in the picnic area, listen to live music, and catch up with friends and neighbors.
“We at the ORFM care deeply about the health and well-being of our community,” she said. “We also care deeply about Kentucky agriculture and our local farmers. It is our mission to support both as best we can.”
Alexander said baked-goods vendors have grown over the last few years, and while there is not yet a policy capping that number, the Board may opt to do the same at some point.
The Owensboro Regional Farmers’ Market has expanded its reach to 93 members for the 2026 season, serving as a central hub where local farmers, small business owners, and the community converge.
FINAL PHASE OF EXPANSION
The expansion of the Owensboro Regional Farmers’ Market into a hub for community wellness is entering its final stage with the addition of a commercial kitchen, a project nearly a decade in the making.
“When I was hired as market manager four years ago, I asked the board what their goals for the market were, and the completion of the kitchen was at the top of that list,” Alexander said. “We have worked toward this goal since.”
She said the kitchen will address a critical gap for regional entrepreneurs. Currently, some local vendors and small businesses travel an hour or more to rent commercial kitchen space for product preparation.
“We discovered that some of our vendors and other local small businesses were going to Bowling Green to rent space,” Alexander said. “We hope to keep those businesses here in Daviess County.”
Once completed, local small businesses can rent the space during non-market hours. Alexander noted that priority will be given to businesses whose products support the market’s mission of promoting community health.
Beyond its use for production, the kitchen will serve as a classroom. In a renewed partnership with Owensboro Health Healthpark dietitians and the Daviess County Cooperative Extension Office, the space will host healthy cooking demonstrations.
These programs build on the ORFM’s existing educational pillars of nutrition education and youth programming.
DOUBLING THE IMPACT
To further its mission of accessibility, the Farmers’ Market utilizes the Kentucky Double Dollars program to ensure locally grown food reaches all members of the community.
Managed through the Community Farm Alliance, the program specifically supports participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP), and the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program.
The program allows eligible shoppers to double their purchasing power up to $20 each market day. Alexander explained that the system is designed to incentivize the purchase of a variety of farm-fresh goods.
“If a SNAP cardholder swipes their EBT card at the Market for $20, they will receive $20 in tokens to purchase SNAP-eligible food items,” Alexander said. “In addition, they will receive another $12 in tokens to purchase produce… and $8 in tokens to be used for meat, dairy, and eggs.”
The program, which runs annually from May 1 through Oct. 31, also provides Senior and WIC FMNP cardholders with an additional $20 in vouchers for fresh produce. Local administration for these benefits is handled by Crossroads and the Green River District Health Department.
LOOKING FORWARD
As the ORFM looks to the future, it distinguishes itself through community-centric programming like the “Taste of the Market” events, which pair local chefs with regional farmers. From vendor workshops to informational booths, the market continues to move the needle from a retail space to a regional destination.
These initiatives, alongside live music and an expanded selection of hot food, have solidified the market as more than a place to shop.
“It is a place to gather with your community,” Alexander said.
2026 Schedule
The 2026 season runs from April 18 through November 7. Saturday hours: 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Tuesday hours (June through September): 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Thursday hours (June and July) 4 to 7 p.m. OL
April 18: Opening Day
May 16: Daviess County Cooperative Extension Day
June 4: Taste of the Market featuring Benski’s Italian Comfort Street Style and music by James Elliott
July 11: Owensboro Health’s Food + Art + Health
July 16: Taste of the Market featuring Mezze Street Kitchen (music to be announced)
July 18: Taste of the Market (chef and music to be announced)
July 20: Food Truck Festival and music by Gavin Vollman
July 27: Independence Bank’s Indy’s Birthday Party
July 30: Taste of the Market featuring The Miller House and music by Shrimp-n-Grits Bluegrass String Band
August 8: National Farmers’ Market Week Celebration and music by Gavin Vollman
October 31: Halloween Market, Trick-or-Treating, and Costume Parade
November 7: Holiday Market
