The Farmers Market at Rancocas Woods is now in its fourth official year of operation at the picturesque shopping village in Mt. Laurel, and it continues to expand in its multi-purpose mission.
“We’ve grown over the past few years,” said market manager Allie Coulter. “It’s been a really fun experience. It’s kind of an extension of a greater mission that we have going on at Rancocas Woods.”
Coulter, who has been involved with running the market since the very beginning, said the event has grown out of the Rancocas Woods Business Association, a non-profit organization dedicated to the revitalization of Rancocas Woods.
The market will run every Sunday in The Woods, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., from now through October 26 this year.
The series kicked off on June 1, with the neighborhood’s summer block party taking place in conjunction with the first market of the year.
The event featured live music throughout the day, which is periodically part of the event throughout the market’s run.
Like in years past, the market will begin each week with an exercise opportunity available. This comes by way of yoga classes most weeks, but every third Sunday this year they’ll be offering fitness classes from Orange Theory Fitness from Moorestown.
Coulter, who also co-owns the Thyme Traveler’s Conservatory shop in Rancocas Woods said the market’s beginnings actually came during 2020, when it was envisioned as a drive-up market during the height of the Covid pandemic.
The market began in its current format in 2022, and Coulter said it’s always evolving.
This year, Coulter said, they’ve added Rosie’s Empanadas food truck to fill a specific need.
“That was a piece of feedback that I got a few times – people were looking for some more savory eats,” she said. “So I got them some empanadas!”
The market, Coulter said, will occasionally host various types of workshops and every fourth Sunday will feature a complementary event called “Antiques in the Woods,” with vendors setting up shop to sell their antique and vintage items.
But ultimately the market’s key draw is its steady roster of farmers and other regular vendors.
“We have a solid group of farmers that are there every week all summer, and then different rotating vendors of crafters, and bakers, and those kinds of things,” she said.
Coulter said the market will typically see between 20 and 25 vendors each week.
“We like to say our market is small but mighty,” she said. “You can get everything that you need at the market for the week. That’s always my goal is to make sure all staples are covered.”
One feature Coulter especially wanted to stress was the market’s acceptance of food benefit programs to pay for locally-grown, nutritious foods, and in particular the City Green’s Good Food Bucks program, which allows participants to double the value of their food benefits, when buying healthy foods.
“Our farmer’s market accepts SNAP EBT,” she said. “And we’re part of the good food bucks program. That means if someone spends $50 in EBT they get $50 more to spend on fruits and vegetables at the market. I’m very proud of that.”
For more information on Rancocas Woods and their farmers market, visit them online at www.rancocaswoodseventsnshops.com.