Countryside Farmers' Market at Howe Meadow

Countryside Farmers' Market at Howe Meadow is part of a larger nonprofit effort focused on educational workshops and a resilient, sustainable food culture, giving this Saturday market a mission that reaches beyond weekly shopping. The market runs at Howe Meadow in Peninsula, with Countryside tying its local food work to farms, markets, and education across Northeast Ohio. That makes Howe Meadow one expression of a long-running program: Countryside says it has connected people, food, and land since 1999 while re-establishing farms in Cuyahoga Valley National Park and operating farmers' markets in the greater Akron area.

Why it matters locally

Since 1999, Countryside has connected people, food, and land throughout Northeast Ohio, and the Howe Meadow market sits inside that broader local food system rather than standing alone. Countryside says its programs re-establish farms in Cuyahoga Valley National Park, run farmers' markets in the greater Akron area, and educate citizens about the importance of local food. It also works in partnership with Cuyahoga Valley National Park through the Countryside Initiative, which manages farms within the park's boundaries.

Food access is another local role built into the market network. Countryside's programs include SNAP & Produce Perks and WIC Carrot Cash, and its Local Food Programs Advisory Committee gives strategic guidance on farmers' markets, food access programs, and other local food projects. The organization also marked its 20th anniversary while expanding beginning farmer and food access programming, linking the market to longer-term farm viability and public access to local food.

What you'll find there

Countryside's own materials emphasize farms, food producers, and artisans across its markets, with Howe Meadow positioned as the outdoor seasonal Saturday market in Peninsula. The product mix is described more through the organization's programming and farm focus than through a posted vendor roster for this market.

• -Countryside's farm program includes farms in Cuyahoga Valley National Park, tying the market to local farm production.
• -Heritage Breed livestock are part of the farm story Countryside highlights in its food and fiber programming.
• -Artisan sellers are part of the broader Countryside market mix alongside food producers.

Howe Meadow also hosts special programming: the Tomato Tasting is described as the market's "most popular market day". Howe Meadow's defining thread is Countryside's blend of farmland, park setting, and hands-on food culture. The market is hosted at Howe Meadow, and Howe Meadow is described as being in the middle of Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Countryside connects that setting to an active program of food education, from educational workshops that promote a resilient and sustainable food culture to blog features on seasonal cooking, galettes, berry recipes, and the question of what "in season" means. Even a marquee day like Tomato Tasting points in the same direction: produce is not just sold here, but highlighted as a seasonal event in its own right. The result is a market identity shaped as much by teaching and seasonality as by transaction.

Know before you go

No dogs is the clearest rule to plan around for this market. The market takes place at 4040 Riverview Rd. in Peninsula, at Howe Meadow, which is the named host site for this location. It runs on Saturdays from 9am to 12pm during the seasonal window from April 20 through October 26. Restrooms are not available in the current visitor details, so this is not a market to treat like a long on-site stop. If you need a direct contact before heading out, the listed phone number is 234-334-4622, and Tracy Emrick is the named manager contact in the market details.

Payments & SNAP

SNAP EBT is accepted at Countryside Farmers' Market at Howe Meadow. Countryside also highlights Produce Perks and WIC Carrot Cash within its food access programming, showing that payment access is part of the market network's larger local food mission. Payment methods are otherwise marked as clear in the market's visitor details.