The Oakland Farmers Market

Sennott Street between Atwood Street and Meyran… The Oakland Farmers Market

Sennott Street between Atwood Street and Meyran Avenue

Fridays 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. until Nov. 18

As urban as Oakland may be, students don’t have to leave campus to find local fresh vegetables, fruits, meats and baked goods.

Every Friday at the Oakland Farmers Market, local farmers and companies work together to provide the freshest and tastiest food within city limits.

“We offer all-natural beef, chicken and pork each week,” a Mish Farms employee said. All-natural means no hormones, steroids or antibiotics were added to the Mish Farms raised animals.

The vendor also provides customers with a homemade hot meat dish, including buffalo chicken and barbecue chicken and beef.

When you’ve had your protein fill for the day, the farmers’ market also offers sugary options to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Sand Hill Berries provides these treats. A family-owned business, this vendor operates a small fruit farm in southwestern Pennsylvania.

Sand Hill  offers a range of pies — some including raspberry, blackberry, cherry and blueberry.

This local business also offers seasonal pies such as glazed and cheesecake. A slice of pie costs $3, and an 8-inch pie costs $10. Sand Hill Berries also accommodates customers with freshly baked cookies that cost $1 each and $5.50 for a half dozen.

Besides baked goods, Sand Hill Berries offers seasonal fruits like raspberries, blackberries, blueberries and apples, as well as jam, jelly and vinaigrette.

If you still need to satisfy your sweet tooth, the farmers’ market also offers cold treats like LaScola’s Italian Ice. “We bring four different flavors each week,” Tom LaScola, owner of LaScola’s Italian Ice, said.

The snack is homemade and refreshing, especially during warm summer days.

The farmers’ market offers food from vendors Mish Farms, SITOS LLC, Cinco de Mayo, Sand Hill Berries, Vibo’s Italian Bakery, My Goodies Vegan Bakery, LaScola’s Italian Ice, Dillner Family Farm, TLC Bakery, Paradise Gardens and Farm, Christoff’s Farm and Edible Earth Farm.

In addition to the range of fresh food the farmers’ market offers, customers and vendors are strong supporters of eating local.

LaScola said that when customers choose to buy local, they’re getting some of the freshest products possible — items that could be in the field during the day and on the table for dinner.

“You’ll get fresh products, made by hand,” a Sand Hill Berries employee said. “We hand roll all of our crusts here.”

With an excellent location in the heart of Oakland, the farmers’ market is a fitting stop for hungry students.

“Last time I went to the farmers’ Market, I got zucchini, plums and strawberries,” Pitt alumnus Seth Reighard said. “Every strawberry was ripe, and my girlfriend and I made great zucchini chips with egg whites and Parmesan cheese. It’s nice to get produce from such close sources because everything is always good and fresh.”

Reighard also commented on the convenience of the farmers’ market location and its low prices.

If one local farmers’ market isn’t enough, Farmers at Phipps runs each Wednesday from now through October, from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m., and offers products such as vegetables, fruit, meat, cheese, eggs, honey, seedlings, cut flowers and perennials.

Farmers at Phipps works with the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture to allow visitors the opportunity to buy local certified organic and certified naturally grown products.

An employee at Mish Farms said along with its health benefits, eating local keeps the farms around Pittsburgh going.

“You can keep it in the community,” she said.