Mercados Campesinos Medellín: Supporting Local Farmers and Entrepreneurs

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Mercados Campesinos Medellin

Had I known earlier about Medellin’s weekly farmers’ markets, Mercados Campesinos, I would have begun frequenting them a long time ago.

Every Sunday morning from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m., Parque La Presidenta in El Poblado hosts a bustling market where local merchants come to sell their fresh and delicious goods.

Even if you don’t know this park by name, chances are you’ve meandered through it a time or two.

Parque La Presidenta
Parque La Presidenta

Parque La Presidenta, for those of you not familiar, is the lovely little strip of green that flows down from Zona Rosa to Avenida El Poblado, lined with walking paths and beautifully manicured gardens and following the path of the similarly named Quebrada La Presidenta.

Near the bottom of the park you’ll find a towering white tent-like structure, and an area filled with exercise machines. The latter is actually more of a hybrid between an outdoor gym and a playground, fit for both adults and children alike.

Farmer's Market in Medellin
The tents where the farmer’s market takes place each Sunday

It’s under this towering white tent and next to this outdoor gym slash playground where Mercados Campesinos Medellín takes place each Sunday.

Each vendor has their own table on which to display whatever it is they’re proffering, be it freshly harvested produce, decorative plants, sauces or jams, baked goods, coffee, or delicious hot snacks.

Additionally, each table bears a sign stating the name of the business being represented, the products they offer, and which local area they come from.

Ready-to-eat tamales from Tamálvarez at Mercados Campesinos Medellin
Ready-to-eat tamales from Tamálvarez

The market seemed to be something of a family affair. Many locals wandered about in neon workout gear, having obviously detoured from Sunday’s Ciclovía for some refreshments, with children and leashed dogs in tow.

It was a popular place to rest, to refuel with fresh juice or snacks, or to supplement their cardio by using the odd workout machines nearby.

My friends and I had mostly come by for the photo opportunities and snacks, and we found an abundance of both. We were pleasantly surprised to be offered free samples of many items as well, such as freshly baked breads or spreads like pesto and baba ganoush.

Mercados Campesinos Medellín
Free samples

What I did finally buy was a refreshing cup of lulo juice for 2,000 pesos ($1), followed by a cup of coffee for 3,000 pesos ($1.50).

Our morning wandering the market was a very relaxing way to spend a Sunday. I love that they directly support local growers and families, and the products they offer really are excellent. I will most certainly be going back again soon.

About Mercados Campesinos Medellín

According to their website, Los Mercados Campesinos is a project by the Mayor through the Undersecretary for rural development established more than two decades ago as a way to aid local farmers and entrepreneurs in the commercialization of their goods.

Sauces and salsas at Mercados Campesinos
Fresh salsas from Salsachef

Markets are held each Saturday in ten other neighborhoods around the city as well as two districts between 6 a.m. and 1 p.m. in addition to the Sunday market in Parque La Presidenta in El Poblado.

They strive to offer only the highest quality goods at the best prices; you can be sure that everything is grown, harvested and manufactured locally and that your purchases are directly supporting local families in Medellín.

Mercados Campesinos Medellín has an active social media presence and updates their Facebook regularly to announce special events taking place around the city.

In the past, they’ve held weekend markets at many of Medellin’s major commercial shopping centers, such as Mayorca and Mall de Laureles, and for the next two weekends in February, find them at Centro Comercial Santa Fé.

Find Mercados Campesinos on social media with #compralocal
Find Mercados Campesinos on social media with #compralocal

You can also follow Mercados Campesinos on Twitter and Instagram to stay up-to-date with happenings around the city. Look for the hashtags #CompraLocal and #MercadosCampesinos.

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2 COMMENTS

  1. Hi! Couldn’t find a discussion forum on this website, so I thought this thread is the closest to posting my question. So typically here in the USA, we know it’s organic when the product have that certified logo on it. And we also know that everyday foods anywhere outside USA, including Colombia, is organic by our standards. At least, everyday foods elsewhere isn’t as processed as ours here. How would I tell which food product is organic, not-so-processed, or processed while shopping at Carulla, Éxito, or whatever (super)markets there?