JEFFERSON COUNTY MARKET

Jefferson County, Kansas Farmers Market — Buy & Sell Local Crops Near You

🌽 Jefferson County has more backyard fruit trees and home gardens than anyone could eat from. Crop Market connects them with neighbors in Grantville, Mc Louth and Ozawkie. Fruit, vegetables, cottage foods, plants, seeds and farm gear are all welcome. It's free to post, there's no cut taken, and local farm food carries no sales tax.

Farming in Jefferson County by the Numbers

Jefferson County has 846 farms on 187,336 acres (about 221 acres each). Together they sold $77 million of farm products in 2022, led by corn, cattle and soybeans.

Orchards and vineyards here grow grapes, apples and pears, and local fields produce tomatoes, green beans, watermelons and green onions. Beekeepers tend about 257 honey bee colonies.

66 farms in Jefferson County already sell straight to the public, about $838,000 a year in direct sales. Crop Market gives them, and every backyard grower, a free way to reach more neighbors.

Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, 2022 Census of Agriculture.

Farm Life in Jefferson County

Jefferson County farms and homesteads keep 27,709 head of cattle, 2,422 egg-laying hens and 744 sheep. Grass-fed beef sold by the quarter or half is a common way ranchers sell direct.

About 1,509 people run or help run farms in Jefferson County, with an average age of 57. 37% of them are women. 137 are under 35 - the next generation of local growers. 3 farms earn money from agritourism - things like u-pick fields, pumpkin patches, farm stays and corn mazes.

Where Jefferson County stands out: it ranks #7 of 76 KS counties for selling food straight to the public and #13 of 105 KS counties for number of farms.