Farmer's Market in Hershey

The Foundation for Enhancing Communities serves as the fiscal sponsor for Farmer's Market in Hershey, a detail that points to a market built with formal local backing rather than as a pop-up side project. Set on the grounds of The Farmhouse at the Englewood near the west campus of Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, the market describes itself as wellness-focused and rooted in everyday access to healthy, local food. Its Thursday schedule and mix of farm vendors, prepared food, flowers, soap makers, and wellness-oriented programming give it the feel of a weekly stop shaped by both agriculture and the medical campus nearby.

Why it matters locally

Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center is not just nearby; it is named as a collaborator providing strong support for the market. That relationship matches the market’s stated goal of strengthening the long-term health of the area by showing how a farmers market can support community wellness in meaningful, everyday ways.

The market’s founding story is also specific to this setting. Founder Danny George, a faculty member at the Penn State College of Medicine, and founder Wade Edris, a scientist in a College of Medicine research lab, saw an opportunity to connect the region’s agricultural roots with the Medical Center’s commitment to community wellness. The result is a market that ties produce, pasture-raised meat, flowers, and prepared foods to a broader local health mission rather than treating shopping and wellness as separate spheres.

What you'll find there

The vendor mix leans wider than a produce-only market, with fruit growers, mushroom and meat producers, bakery stalls, specialty foods, body-care makers, pet-focused vendors, and several prepared-food operators all in the same weekly lineup. That range makes this a place where a shopper can piece together dinner, pantry items, flowers, and household extras in one stop.

• -Pick up preserves from Amy & Steve’s Preserves.
• -Find fresh and gourmet mushrooms at Bennett Run Mushroom Farm LLC.
• -Browse pet supplies and handmade dog accessories from Bites of Love.
• -Choose pasture-raised chickens, turkeys, and pigs from Run Farms, LLC.
• -Taste artisan goat cheese from Camelot Valley.
• -Add homemade cookies from Charissa’s Cookie Jar.
• -Look for savory and sweet homemade treats from Comfort Cravings, LLC.
• -Order a Maine lobster meal from Cousins Maine Lobster.
• -Grab kettle corn and lemonade from Craftie Crafters.
• -Shop traditionally made soaps from Farmgirl Soapery.
• -Seek out gluten- and soy-free baked goods from Free From Kitchen.
• -Bring home hand harvested lavender products from Hope Hill Lavender Farm.
• -Pick apples, peaches, cider, and raw apple cider vinegar from K. Schlegel Fruit Farm.
• -Take home seasonal cut flowers from Little Swatara Creek Flowers.
• -Try pesto and recipe ideas from Once Upon a Pesto.
• -Cool off with Farm Show milkshakes from PA Dairymen’s Association.
• -Buy sourdough granola from Red Barn Bakes.
• -Order Nepalese dishes including Sherpa Chicken Momo, Veg Momo, and Chow Mein from Sherpa MOMO Food Truck.
• -Stock up on produce, flowers, plants, and brown eggs at T&S Flowers and Produce.
• -Finish with raw honey and beeswax products from Tittle Apiaries, LLC.
• -Shop wild caught fish, shellfish, and curated boxes from Wild for Salmon.

A recurring wellness thread runs through the calendar too: the Little Lions Wellness Program meets during market hours on the first Thursday of each month, and The Farmhouse at Englewood also hosts a Summer Porch Music Series on select June, July, and August dates. The clearest thread here is the way agriculture and wellness share the same ground. The market sits at The Farmhouse at the Englewood near Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, and its own description frames the market as a wellness-focused place aimed at expanding access to healthy, local food. That framing carries into the calendar, where the Little Lions Wellness Program takes place during market hours on the first Thursday of each month rather than as a separate off-site program. Even the vendor mix supports that identity through items like fruit from K. Schlegel Fruit Farm, pasture-raised meat from Run Farms, and gluten- and soy-free baked goods from Free From Kitchen.

Know before you go

No dogs are allowed, which may matter if you usually build market errands into a walk. The market is held on the grounds of The Farmhouse at the Englewood at 1215 West End Avenue, just off Bullfrog Valley Road and near the west campus of Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. It runs on Thursday afternoons from 2:30 to 6:30 during the May-to-October season, a schedule that fits after-work visits more than early-morning shopping. Restrooms are not available, so plan your stop accordingly. Market Director Tracy Brown is listed as the market manager.

Payments & SNAP

SNAP/EBT is accepted here, an important fit with the market’s stated focus on expanding access to healthy, local food. Payment methods are clearly indicated, which helps when you’re mixing purchases from produce growers, food trucks, specialty food vendors, and body-care makers in a single visit.