Connecticut farmers encourage locals to buy native-grown fruits and vegetables at the West Haven Green’s annual farmers market.

“Send more people…the prices are unbeatable,” says Maryanne Barrelli, a farmers’ market vendor.

The Farmers’ Market is a nationwide movement, created to encourage and support local farmers. Connecticut currently hosts over 100 farmers markets statewide that are conducted daily. Connecticut’s Certified Farmers’ Markets are committed to selling only Connecticut-grown farm harvests.

Most markets also participate in supplemental food programs and will accept vouchers and payments from WIC or EBT.

West Haven’s farmers’ market takes place on West Haven’s green, located at the corner of Campbell Avenue and Main Street on Thursday afternoons from 12 p.m. until 6 p.m., and on Saturday from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Although one of the smaller farmers’ markets in the state, West Haven carries a large variety of fruits and vegetables including apples, pears, plums, corn, cabbage and squash, just to name a few.

The West Haven farmers’ market was dedicated to a local, Tony Inzero, who died last July at the age of 59. Inzero was very involved in the downtown community and was a founding father of the West Haven Business Association. As the president of the association, Inzero encouraged several programs, including the opening of West Haven’s farmers’ market in 2000.

The local market is seasonal and runs from the months of July through October; this is the 11th year that it has been held on the green. West Haven’s farmers’ market is currently WIC certified and welcomes WIC vouchers.

“This is the freshest stuff you can get in Connecticut,” says Jose Guadulupe, Smith’s Acres employee and market vendor.