May is almost here, which means backyard gardening, trips to agritourism venues, and farmers’ markets are about to be in full swing! The local, fresh fruits and vegetables we have been waiting for all winter are finally readily available to us. But have you ever wondered where to find it? Kentucky is home to over 630 agricultural producers ranging from roadside stands to u-pick operations to educational greenhouses. This number doesn’t include agricultural producers in the state farming corn, soybeans, wheat, beef cattle, and other ventures. With all the agricultural production happening around the state, you might just have a local producer closer to you than you think.

A few local food and agritourism directories to help you find local vegetables, fruit, meat, value-added products, and much, much more are:

• Geographic Horticulture Directory of Kentucky. This directory can be found on the Center for Crop Diversification’s website under the “Maps” tab. This directory features educational greenhouses, farmers’ markets, produce auctions, shared equipment, horticultural supply stores, water testing labs, roadside markets, and agritourism venues. Each of the eight marketplaces/assistance providers is noted with a different icon, which can be selected and unselected to make viewing easier. Map users can zoom in and out to find what is in or around their county! If you are an agricultural producer and are not on this map, contact Joshua Knight to be featured.

• Kentucky Proud Farmers’ Market List. This directory can be found on the Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s Kentucky Proud website under “Programs.” Here, you can find the Kentucky Proud farmers’ market(s) in or around your county! This website also hosts lists of other agricultural businesses such as Buy Local restaurants, Community Support Agricute [CSA] operations, agritourism venues, and much more! This website has an extensive list of agricultural businesses and products you can search for, so take some time to check it out. Producers must be Kentucky Proud members to be featured in this directory. If you would like to become a member, you can apply here.

• Kentucky Farm Bureau Certified Farm Market. This directory can be found on the Kentucky Farm Bureau’s “Programs” page. The Kentucky Farm Bureau [KFB] Certified Farm Markets represent a variety of agricultural venues. You can use their map to find places like greenhouses, wineries, and grocery-like stores in or around your county. Their map lets you search by county, zip code, name, or product. Agricultural producers must be KFB Certified Market Members to be listed in this directory. To enroll your market, click here.

• Kentucky Commercial Cut Flower Grower Directory. This directory can be found on the Center for Crop Diversification’s website under the “Maps” tab. This directory specifically features cut flower growers in our state. Each farm has its sales outlet(s), social media accounts, and contact info listed. Map users can zoom in and out to find cut flower growers in or around their county! If you are a cut flower producer and are not on this map, contact Dakota Moore to be featured.

With all the local agricultural producers located in the state and directories to point you in the right direction, we hope you find a farm or farm market close to you! Please note, this list of directories is not an all-inclusive list of the information available to consumers on how to find local products – it serves as starting point for a consumer interested in finding local food products in their area.

Below you can find examples of the Geographic Horticulture Directory and the Commercial Cut Flower Grower Directory listed above. 

Geographic Horticulture Directory of Kentucky Map. 

Kentucky Commercial Cut Flower Grower Directory Map

Recommended Citation Format:

Columbia, S. "Where to Find Local Agricultural Products Near You!" Economic and Policy Update (23):4, Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Kentucky, April 28th, 2023.  

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Author(s) Contact Information: 

Savannah Columbia  |  savannah.columbia@uky.edu