By Eliot Josti

As the fall season approaches in Somerville, the cooler weather welcomes many outdoor activities for the community. In partnership with small businesses, Somerville offers three different farmers markets, selling unique goods made by locals.

Though Union Square was recently taken over for Fluff Fest, the Union Square Farmers Market is open to the public every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., all the way until October 31.

Fresh fruit and vegetables, hand-pressed juices, coffees, and crafts can be found in every corner. Each week, a map is released displaying the vendors and specialty food available.

“If you have SNAP, Massachusetts automatically gives you extra money to spend on fruits and vegetables from farmers’ markets and farm stands through the Healthy Incentives Program (HIP),” mentioned on the Somerville Food Coalition site.

Also in partnership with SNAP, the Davis Square Farmers Market invites families and friends to come shop using the match program.

Something unique to the Davis Square Farmers Market is the POP Club, standing for the Power of Produce Club.

“POP Club is a free program for kids ages 5 – 12 that gives them the chance to explore the market, make their own choices, and learn about fresh, local food, all while having a great time!” said the Mass Farmers Markets site.

This program gets children excited about making healthy choices by giving them independence to shop around and choose an item that interests them. Each week, the POP Club gives the members three dollars to spend on local produce offered by the vendors.

The Davis Square Farmers Market also has a variety of ready-to-eat meals, meats, and baked goods coming from over two dozen Massachusetts vendors. The list of vendors and sellers is available at https://www.massfarmersmarkets.org/davis, as well as details to join the POP Club. It is open every Wednesday from 12 to 6 p.m. until November 25.

One creative way to promote locally grown fresh produce is the Somerville Mobile Farmers Market.

“The Somerville Mobile Farmers Market is committed to supporting local residents and Massachusetts farmers by bringing healthy, farm-fresh produce directly to multiple locations in Somerville,” according to their website.

From the Council on Aging to the Mystic Housing Development, the Mobile Farmers Market makes sure to provide accessible produce around the city. On Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, you can catch the pop-up.

Not only does shopping from local farmers provide fresh produce, homemade items, and baked goods to your home, but it directly benefits small businesses and the Somerville community.

For more information, visit: https://somervillefoodcoalition.org/find-food/farmers-markets/.