A trend that continues to grow is local foods.  As most consumers find themselves further removed from agriculture there is interest in learning more about how food is produced and where your food comes from.  Ohio Local Foods week is August 9-15.  Ohio State University Extension has a local foods program effort that is identifying and providing programming on issues related to food production, marketing, human nutrition, economic development, and others.  The OSU Extension local foods program encourages all of us to spend at least $10 on food produced in your community and learn more about where your food comes from and how it gets to your plate during this week.

In Wayne County we are fortunate to have a strong and vibrant agricultural economy and infrastructure.  A good portion of our county agriculture production goes into food that can be directly purchased and consumed.  Good examples of this are vegetables, fruit, honey, maple syrup, eggs, meat and dairy products.  In this season, it is especially easy to purchase locally grown fruits and vegetables.  In addition to the numerous on-farm markets and roadside stands within the county, we have easy access to two large produce auctions where local fruit and vegetable farmers bring their produce to sale weekly.  If you have not attended a produce auction, local foods week is a great time to check out what happens there.  Here are the auction locations, web sites and auction days and times:

Mount Hope Farmers Produce Auction: http://www.mthopeauction.com/farmers-produce-auction located just west of Mount Hope on SR 241.  Auctions are held Mondays at 11 am, and Tuesday, Thursday and Fridays at 10 am.

County Line Produce Auction: http://countylineproduceauction.com/  located at the crossroads of Jeffrey Rd and SR 301.  Auctions are held at 4:00 pm every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.