Lorain County Family Farm Market offers fresh produce and peace of mind amid cyclospora outbreak

ELYRIA, Ohio (WOIO) - The Lorain County Public Health Department hosted its annual Family Farm Market on Tuesday as part of its mission to connect families to fresh local produce.

“I was probably going to make some chili or some type of soup with the peppers,” said visitor and mother Taylor Watson as she shared her cooking plans with 19 News. “And probably going to chop the peaches up and make a cobbler or something.”

Vendors connect community with local produce

The Lorain County Public Health Department has hosted the annual market for almost a decade, featuring an avenue for local vendors to sell fresh, affordable food.

For those sellers, the market is a way for people to recognize their hard work and access healthy produce.

“Just being able to get fresh local produce to people that have never experienced that before is incredible,” Brooke Grobe with the Grobe Fruit Farm.

“The main thing is how many people we were able to interact with, that’s the big win for us,” added Father Alexander Barton with Solidarity Urban Farms.

Local produce offers added safety during outbreak

This year’s market also carried an unexpected benefit: peace of mind amid the developing cyclosporiasis outbreak.

“This is a great opportunity for people to buy local where they can still wash their produce and lower their risk,” said supervisor of epidemiology for the Lorain County Health Department Mitch Dandurand.

Watson said she is aware of the outbreak and its potential impact on her family.

“I know a couple of people who have gotten it...I definitely don’t want that for my kids,” she said.

The people behind the market said they are glad to serve as a bridge between neighbors and the freshest produce the county has to offer.

“You’re not going to get anything that tastes better than right off the vine, right off the tree, straight from the ground,” said Marissa Wayner, Director of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children or WIC.