Tuscarawas Valley Farmers Market

Dover-Phila Federal Credit Union Partners To Expand Food Access

The Tuscarawas Valley Farmers Market has partnered with Dover-Phila Federal Credit Union (DPFCU) to distribute fresh produce to those in need. DPFCU’s $20,000 gift will support the Donation Station program throughout the upcoming market season.
“At DoverPhila, we believe strong communities are built through collaboration and care for our neighbors,” explained Jason Garner, CEO of DoverPhila Federal Credit Union. “We’re proud to partner with the Tuscarawas Valley Farmers Market to support the Donation Station program. This initiative reflects the power of our community coming together to ensure everyone has access to healthy, nutritious food.”
Now entering its fifth year of community-driven impact, the Donation Station initiative aims to bridge the gap between local agriculture and neighbors facing food insecurity by collecting and distributing high-quality, locally grown produce. Market attendees contribute to the effort by donating funds, their own backyard produce, or items purchased directly from the market. Farmers are paid fairly for their products and also donate excess produce at the end of each market day. Volunteers weigh, record, and pack the produce, which is then collected at the market by local food pantries.
The Tuscarawas County Donation Station was originally launched as an initiative by the non-profit organization Rural Action, in partnership with Community Food Initiatives and the Tuscarawas Valley Farmers Market. A loss of funding in 2025 led Rural Action to close its Tuscarawas County office, at which point the Tuscarawas Valley Farmers Market transitioned to full management of the program.
“The Donation Station is about more than just food; it’s about strengthening the local food system,” shared Isaac Hans Kneuss, committee chair for the Donation Station. “By purchasing directly from our local farmers and delivering that nutrition to local food pantries, we ensure that everyone in our community has a seat at the table.”
In 2025, the program successfully distributed over 4,800 pounds of fresh food to local partners, including Twin City Food Pantry, The Salvation Army, and Beneath the Shade. With the help of the generous donation from DPFCU, the Donation Station hopes to expand its reach to additional local pantries, setting an ambitious goal of donating 25,000 pounds of food in 2026.
Local food pantries or soup kitchens interested in participating in the Donation Station are encouraged to contact Kneuss at kneussih@gmail.com for more information. Community members interested in volunteering, donating, or learning more about the program are also encouraged to reach out as well.
The Tuscarawas Valley Farmers Market is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 2009. Markets are held every Wednesday from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Tuscarawas County Fairgrounds from June through mid-October. More information can be found at www.tvffm.org.
DoverPhila Federal Credit Union has proudly served Tuscarawas County for over 70 years. It has long been committed to strengthening the communities in which it operates. Through partnerships, investments, and service, DPFCU seeks to uplift people, build opportunities, and foster environments where everyone can thrive. Anyone who lives, works, worships, or attends school in Tuscarawas County can join by making a simple $5 deposit at any of its five full-service locations in Dover, New Philadelphia, Newcomerstown, and Uhrichsville, or online at www.dpfcu.org

2026 Opening Day Announced

Lehman’s Sponsors 2025 Cooking Demos

The TVFM has partnered with Lehman’s—located in Kidron, OH—to bring you cooking demos each market day throughout the season. Lehman’s is the perfect partner to sponsor our demos because they offer all kinds of food preservation and other simple living tools and products. Attend our cooking demos every Wednesday at 5:00pm inside the Clover Café at the fairgrounds to learn great recipes and cooking techniques. Visit www.lehmans.com to shop their online store for products that can help you make the best use of your farmers market purchases this season! Check out the Calendar for the schedule of cooking demos this season.

Important update about Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP)

All Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program vouchers have been replaced with tokens for the 2025 season. The tokens will be redeemed the same as the vouchers from years past. To receive your tokens, you will go to the Farmers Market Information Booth. You will give your QR code to the person working the booth. They will scan your code and tell you your monetary balance. Then they will ask how many $1 tokens you would like. Each time you receive tokens, that dollar amount will be deducted from your beginning amount of $50.

Patron Survey: Help Shape the Future of the TVFM

As we look towards the future of the market, we are interested in hearing your thoughts about how we can continue to serve the community’s needs. Please take a few moments to answer our Patron Survey and help shape the future of the Tuscarawas Valley Farmers Market. We appreciate your participation!

Click here to take the survey: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdyITAHkLmo9FCTjcOW-qg2wtfWZFjvkPKGKXmzEEyrZrh6GQ/viewform

Follow Us on Social Media for the Latest Updates

The volunteers of the Tuscarawas Valley Farmers Market do their best to keep things up to date regarding events, activities, and anything different happening at our market. You can always see what’s happening each week at the market by visiting our Events calendar, but we also encourage you to follow the TVFM on Facebook and Instagram for the most up-to-date announcements! You can find us at facebook.com/tuscfarmersmarket or on Instagram at @tvfarmersmarket. Interact with us and find out the latest happenings at our market!

We Accept More Than Just Cash at the TVFM

If you don’t have cash, don’t worry! Just bring your credit or debit card to the Information Booth to swipe and receive Carrot Cash tokens you can use anywhere at the market just like cash. Additionally, the Tuscarawas Valley Farmers Market participates in a number of programs that assist qualifying individuals with the cost of purchasing fresh produce at the market. Check out this handy guide to learn about the different types of “currency” we accept at the market!

Credit cards accepted.
Ohio WIC accepted–contact your local WIC office for more information.
Ohio Direction Card accepted.
Visit the Market Information Booth for details.

TVFM History:

The Tuscarawas Valley Farmers Market began as an idea among members of the 2008 class of Leadership Tusc. Participants Mark McKenzie, Jonna Cronebaugh, and Valerie Yoder spent almost two years traveling to other markets to find out best practices to determine what works and what doesn’t when it comes to operating a farmers market. The group felt they needed two strong produce growers to build the market around so people could come shop and fulfill their weekly food needs. They scouted out vendors to help them build a legitimate market, and Weaver’s Truck Patch and Yoder’s Produce became the two anchor produce growers of the Tuscarawas Valley Farmers Market. The first market was held in June of 2009.

The market has always functioned as a local food business incubator. As we’ve built the market, mom-and-pop entities have been able to test their products at the market without a large investment…it still costs just $13 per market day for 12×12 space. When compared to the cost of operating a brick-and-mortar storefront, the market offers up-and-coming businesses a great opportunity to test their products on local shoppers.

The Tuscarawas Valley Farmers Market is all about community and relationships, and we use food as the fulcrum of those relationships. It’s a place of community gathering that serves the full spectrum of demographics in our community. The market helps to create a strong community and value within that community.

Mission Statement:

Facilitate a Producer’s Only Farmers Market for Tuscarawas County, Ohio, which promotes and nurtures the promise and possibilities of bringing locally produced fruits, vegetables, meats, dairy and value-added products to the full cultural diversity of our community. To serve as a catalyst for generative dialogue and projects that emphasize responsible stewardship of our local food economy and our local environmental resources on which the well-being of our entire community depends.

Want to Volunteer?

The Tuscarawas Valley Farmers Market is operated by an all-volunteer management team. If you have a passion for agriculture, commitment to your community, or just want to be part of something bigger, we invite you to come to the market to volunteer. We can use all types of talents and knowledge at the market! Contact us for more information.

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