🥕 Philly-area farmers markets | Outdoorsy Newsletter

And dragon boaters need a boost

Published May 16, 2025, 7:00 a.m. ET

Welcome back to Outdoorsy, your guide to get the most of your time outside this season.

In this special edition:

Fresh and local: Stop by farmers markets, from the Main Line to the Shore.
Local hopefuls: Four South Philly teens will compete in the dragon boating world championships — if they can raise enough money.
Pass the tissues: Pollen season is underway in Philly. Why is pollen so hard to track?

☂️ This weekend’s weather outlook: The rainy spell continues, but forecasters promise Sunday will be dry with highs in the 70s. Here’s to hoping the sun shows!

— Paola Pérez ([email protected])

If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here.

Grab your tote

Going to farmers markets means getting to see, taste, and go home with the crisp, fresh produce of the season.

We have our pick of city markets around Philadelphia, but you can also stock up on goodies straight from the farm through markets in the surrounding areas.

Here’s a preview:

🧺 The Conshohocken Farmers Market kicks off its season this weekend. Look out for vendors like Verenda Box, Pieri Farm, and Road Trip Wines. (Saturdays, 9 a.m. to noon)

🧺 At Haddon Heights Farmers Market, vendors offer pickles, raw honey, exotic mushrooms and more. (Sundays, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.)

🧺 The Collingswood Farmers Market is open rain or shine. Look for N.J. farms and local restaurants offering preorder and delivery options. (Saturdays, 8 a.m. to noon)

Use our guide to farmers markets throughout the Philly suburbs and South Jersey.

Did we miss your favorite market? Which should we check out? Email me your recommendations.

News worth knowing

The water in Wissahickon Valley Park turned neon green earlier this week — but don’t panic. The Philadelphia Water Department says it used a harmless dye to trace the source of a nearby issue.
More than three dozen of the region’s best competitive climbers will test their skills in Pennsylvania’s annual Tree Climbing Competition this Saturday.
Starting this weekend, runners, walkers, and cyclists heading south along the Schuylkill Banks can cross a new cable-stayed bridge connecting the trail in Center City to Grays Ferry.
For the first time in 30 years, the Philadelphia region will be without an official human pollen-counter. A machine will do it, but the data is less reliable.
The Philadelphia Zoo’s four female Western Santa Cruz Galapagos tortoise hatchlings are now on view. Their mother, Mommy, is considered the oldest known first-time mother Galapagos tortoise in the world.
Congrats to Temple men’s rowing, which captured its 22nd men’s varsity eight title at the 86th annual Thomas Jefferson Dad Vail Regatta last Saturday.

Dragonboating underdogs

🎤 Let me pass the mic to my colleague Ximena Conde. She caught up with four dedicated dragonboating teens looking for community support.

A year ago, a group of South Philadelphia teens discovered dragon boat racing — a 2,000-year-old sport that features 20 paddlers sitting in rows of two, with one person steering in the rear and another up front. Now, four of those teens are headed to the sport’s world championships.

Their journey through the high-barrier-to-entry sport has been an underdog story from the beginning and is far from over. Making Team USA means the four teens are headed to the World Dragon Boat Racing Championships held in Brandenburg an der Havel, Germany, in July. But only if they can afford it. — Ximena Conde

Keep reading on the teens’ journey through the high-barrier-to-entry sport and their quest to complete on the global stage.

A calming view

🌳 Your outdoorsy experience

Last time, I asked if you might go camping this season. Outdoorsy reader Kevin Ridpath shared his plans with us (slightly edited for clarity):

We are heading up to North/South Lake Campground in the Southern Catskills. It might be the best campground for hiking that we have stayed at. Great hikes right from the campground. Also, nice lake for paddling which we also enjoy. It’s not too far of a drive. I highly recommend it. We are heading back this summer after loving it last summer. It’s also not far from Woodstock which is a charming town with shops and restaurants. We are also heading to Lums Pond State Park in Del. to camp this summer. Never been there before but I hear good things.

You had me at paddling.

In 200 words, tell us about your favorite adventures or special outdoor memories, however recent or distant. We love pictures if you have them. You might see it featured in a future newsletter.

👋🏽 See you out there.

By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.