Ligonier Country Market, Bloomfield Saturday Market vie for top national spots

Shirley McMarlin | Thursday, July 23, 2020 9:00 a.m.

Jacob Tierney | Tribune-Review

Ligonier Country Market is receiving recognition in a poll of top U.S. farmers markets. Here, Liz Calabro (right) sells Meiterra Bakery bread during the May 30 market.

Ligonier Country Market is in the running for two top spots in a poll of America’s most essential farmers markets.

The poll is being conducted by the American Farmland Trust, a nonprofit organization that promotes environmentally sound farming practices and conservation of farmland and ranchland.

Currently, the Ligonier market tops voting in the poll’s Northeast region and is listed at No. 4 nationwide. The poll shows the top five vote-getters in each category.

The Bloomfield Saturday Market in Pittsburgh currently ranks third of five in the Northeast.

The top market in each of the poll’s six regions will receive $1,000. Voting continues through Sept. 9 at market.farmland.org.

“For those of us who have shopped there, we know the gem (the Ligonier Country Market) is for the area,” says executive director Cari Frei. “By winning the American Farmland Trust poll, we are telling the nation what we already know. The additional $1,000 award will also go along way.”

In addition to the summer Saturday morning sale, the Ligonier Country Market this year added a monthly night market in the Ligonier Diamond area. Now in its 45th year, LCM also hosts an annual Christmas market.