When it comes to food, everyone craves great quality — especially when it comes to fresh fruits and vegetables. There’s something universal about scanning a table for the freshest apple, the juiciest peach, or the ripest ear of corn. Each week in Kentucky, more than 700 customers share in that ritual at our Fort Thomas Farmers Market in Tower Park. But while food matters, I’ve come to find that it’s the human connection that lives at the heart of it all.
This National Harvest Month, I’m reflecting not only on my own journey, but on the farmers, volunteers, and makers who, each week, open their booths and hearts to define what farm fresh means. And how tapping into the support of the community is the essential piece to keep this tradition alive.
As the Market Manager for our farmers market, my mission is simple: connect local farmers to our community. Since 2009, our award-winning market has become a midweek destination for fresh, locally sourced goods from across the region. While our location is adjacent to a large metro area, we’ve been proud to maintain a rich, small-town feel.
When you’re passionate about something, it’s only natural to want to share it. For me, I’ll never stop inviting people to experience all the Fort Thomas Farmers Market has to offer. We live in a time where we can no longer depend on just signs across town to promote our space. We have to meet people where they are, which is online.
Today, social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram have become essential tools for communicating what’s in season, sharing upcoming events, and educating our community about why investing in local matters. Thanks to our digital following, we have a great community that supports us as we open our booths every Wednesday. Our social media posts span beyond picturesque produce and share the real stories of the makers.
With a heartbeat behind every booth, it’s been amazing to see how a Facebook reel of a farmer harvesting sunflowers can brighten the day for our 7,000 followers, or how tagging a friend in a comment has led to a fun-filled Wednesday afternoon for the duo. We can now share our 30 diverse vendors in real time with customers through Facebook posts to create a bridge of connection with the very makers who dug the dirt, planted the seeds, and baked the goods they’re taking home. While each farmer’s story differs, their dependence on their community remains the same. And we’re committed to keep our farmers market tradition alive through the online tools at our disposal.
We have found that even in a digital age, people crave real connection – and fresh food happens to be the perfect place to start. As we approach harvest, I encourage our fellow neighboring farmers markets to get their faces out there on digital platforms to get even more Kentuckians involved in the great community our markets create. It’s easy to create a Facebook or Instagram profile, and that might be the missing link to connecting with your local community.
To me, it’s not just about food labels; it’s about faces. It’s about relationships. And it’s about celebrating the people who make our community stronger, one market day at a time. This National Harvest Month, my message is simple: support local, connect deeply, and celebrate the story behind your food.
Tiffany Tomeo is market manager for Fort Thomas Farmers Market