Haymaker Winter Farmers' Market

Haymaker Winter Farmers' Market stands out for how deeply food access is built into the market itself: Portage County Job & Family Services administers SNAP through the market’s food assistance setup, making benefits part of regular shopping rather than a side program. In Kent, the market runs year-round on Saturdays, shifting into an indoor winter format at United Methodist Church of Kent’s Pierson Hall while keeping the same weekly rhythm through December to March. That combination gives the market a distinct shape in colder months: a winter market that still carries farm goods, prepared foods, pantry staples, and producer-focused shopping under one roof.

Why it matters locally

Haymaker’s local role starts with food assistance that is woven into weekly market operations. In addition to SNAP, produce vendors accept WIC FMNP and Senior FMNP benefits through the Homegrown Benefits App, and Produce Perks Midwest grant funding supports the Produce Perks program at the market. The market also collaborates with Kent State University’s Flashes Fighting Hunger program, which provides nutrition education at the market, raises money for its food pantry, and collects unsold produce. That food recovery stream continues through Kent Social Services, which receives the collected produce.

Its governance is local, too. The board includes both community members and vendors, with Michael Rosengarten serving as market manager and Kate DeAngelis as growth coordinator. The market traces its founding back to 1992, with Fritz Seefeldt, Jo Anne Jones, and Rick Hawksley named in that original vision.

What you'll find there

The mix here leans heavily toward producers and small-batch makers, with winter-friendly shopping that goes well beyond storage vegetables. You’ll see certified organic produce, hydroponic greens, pasture-raised meats, breads, cheese, ferments, flowers, sauces, and practical household goods from named vendors across northeast Ohio.

• -Pick up certified organic vegetables, flowers, herbs, plant starts, and a seasonal CSA from Birdsong Farm.
• -Browse hydroponic lettuces, arugula, broccoli, pea shoot, and wasabi microgreens from MacLean Greens.
• -Find lettuces and herbs from Oak Tree Hydroponics Farms, grown year-round in a controlled agriculture environment.
• -Choose a wide range of produce grown with sustainable farming practices at Heron Hill Farm.
• -Look for vegetables and fruits based on Ethnic Traditional Farming practices from Martha's Farm.
• -Bring home grassfed beef and lamb plus pastured pork, chicken, and eggs from Tierra Verde Farms.
• -Shop pastured chicken, pork, duck, and turkey, along with 100% grass-fed lamb and beef, from Tea Hill Farms.
• -Add beef, pork, chicken, and eggs from Ellington Farms.
• -Take home aged cheeses made with raw milk sourced from a local, pastured herd at Old Forge Dairy.
• -Grab European-style sourdough breads, pastries, and baked goods from Brimfield Bread Oven.
• -Try handcrafted sourdough loaves, including original and strawberry white chocolate, from Ikonic Crumbs & Co..
• -Stock up on fresh pasta in a variety of shapes and flavors from Top Flight Pasta.
• -Pick up plant-based ferments such as sauerkraut from Kres Kitchen.
• -Add certified organic maple syrup and maple products from Goodell Family Farm.
• -Find small-batch jams, jellies, and spreads made with local seasonal fruit and vegetables from Barton Farms and Gardens.
• -Sample ready-to-eat Mediterranean dishes including soups, pies, tabbouleh, baklava, dips, and sauces from Smyrna Mediterranean Morsels.
• -Bring home hot and frozen potato dumplings from Rogues Over The Top Pierogi.
• -Browse repurposed textile goods made from landfill-destined materials at Socially Responsible Sweatshop of Kent.

Art At the Market takes place on the last Saturday of the month from April through October, and Music at the Market runs as a weekly free concert series during the outdoor season. Holiday Markets are also listed for December 5, 12, and 19. Haymaker’s strongest thread is how it keeps a farm-market identity intact across changing seasons and spaces. The outdoor market runs on Franklin Avenue between Main Street and Summit Street under the Haymaker overpass, while the winter indoor location moves to Pierson Hall at the United Methodist Church of Kent. That seasonal shift is paired with a producer-only framework, which gives the market a consistent emphasis even as the setting changes from an overpass corridor to a church hall. The same operation also carries public programming through the calendar, from monthly Art At the Market to the weekly Music at the Market concert series supported by the City of Kent, the Ohio Arts Council, and the Portage Foundation.

Know before you go

No dogs are allowed, which is a useful detail if you normally pair market errands with a walk downtown. Winter shoppers should also plan for the indoor location at United Methodist Church, Pierson Hall, which has a smooth paved walkway and an automatically opening push-plate door. During the outdoor season, the market is on Franklin Avenue between Main Street and Summit Street under the Haymaker overpass, with a handicap accessible portajohn near the Haymaker tent and a gravel parking lot maintained by the City of Kent. The market is authorized to reserve and mark one parking space for assistance, and there is also free parking throughout downtown.

Payments & SNAP

SNAP/EBT is accepted at Haymaker Winter Farmers' Market, with Portage County Job & Family Services administering the program through the market. Produce vendors also accept WIC FMNP and Senior FMNP benefits through the Homegrown Benefits App, and Produce Perks Midwest grant funding supports the market’s Produce Perks program.