A peach is not as sweet found in any other place.

“People get to really get away from the so-called 'industrial agriculture' and grocery store mentality and see and taste how stuff when it's actually produced and picked when it should be and not for shipping,” said Aaron Sturges, owner of Sturges Orchards on Route 288 in Franklin Township.

Numerous Butler County farmers' markets sprung open with the season to offer fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, cheeses and baked goods throughout summer and fall.

Food lovers can find real flavor at farmers' markets, Sturges said.

A peach picked off the tree when it ripens tastes different from an in-store peach, he said, adding he focuses on unique varieties of produce for flavor versus shippability.

As a farmer, Sturges grows directly for the consumer, he said.

The interaction at a farmers' market develops the relationship between producer and consumer, he said.

“You're looking in the eye of who's going to eat the produce, and they're looking at the guy who grew the tree and apples,” he said. “It adds a different dimension to enjoy.”

Cranberry Township Farmer's Market, located at the Cranberry Township Municipal Center's rear parking lot at 2525 Rochester Road, is a producer-only market, which means people can either “make it, bake it or grill it,” said Sturges.

Sturges, who has run and contributed to the farmers' market for 22 years, usually brings strawberries.

However, his focus now is on peaches and apples since he has six acres of peaches and 20 acres of apples on his own farm, he said.

About 11 local producers brought their wares last week when the Cranberry farmers' market opened, he said.

Anywhere between 50 to 100 people will visit the farmers' market during the season, he said.

Farmers markets are one thing Bob Dandoy, market manager of the Butler City Farmer's Market, has enjoyed.

About a year ago, Dandoy's wife, who had breast cancer and an interest in nutrition, died, he said.

“It was part of her life and regime,” said Dandoy.

As his interest grew, he wanted success for the local farmers market.

About four years ago when Dandoy took over management of the market from Butler Downtown, he decided to upgrade it.

Last summer at a Penn State Extension workshop in Pittsburgh, Dandoy learned about the changing face of farmers' markets.

Amenities have enhanced the market experience, he said.

“It's not anymore just come down and get corn and tomatoes,” he said. “Make it not just a place to stop to get some produce, but an overall experience.”

Compared to other markets, the Butler City Farmer's Market has a physical structure with massive doors that farmers can pull up to with their produce, he said. Rain or shine, business continues.

Market Music Live features weekly live entertainment and prize giveaways every couple of weeks.

WiFi was added for vendors and customers, Dandoy said. Vendors can now carry iPads and track transactions and data.

Kids' activities, including balloons and coloring, were also an addition.

Cooking demonstrations are planned for this summer, he said.

One key to the market's success was more vendors, he said. Previously, about six vendors would sell their wares.

Now, there are certain days in the summer when some vendors have to set up shop outside under a tent, he said.

This year, Stateside Vodka, a Lawrenceville distillery, is one addition.

Baked goods and sweets, soaps, fudge, flowers, brooms, bags, meats, organic food, vodka, ice cream and goat milk ice cream and Greek food are some of what visitors will find at the market, he said.

As summer continues, more produce will be available, he said. Toward the end of June and into July, farmers will be up at 6 a.m. to save hours between the field to pot.

With the closure of several supermarkets, Butler is close to becoming a food desert, Dandoy said, which is a place where residents do not have access to fresh fruits and vegetables within walking distance.

For some areas, the farmers' market is the only option for produce, said Fritz Bielo, a farmer who has been involved in the Mars Farmers Market since 2000.

Hundreds of visitors flock to the Mars farmers' market to find a variety of wares from about 15 vendors.

The farmers' market is more important than ever after Mars' primary grocery store closed earlier this year, he said.

Buying from the market means supporting local farmers, he said.

As a farmer, Bielo brings his own vegetables to the table, including onions, beets, pickles and cucumbers, he said.

“You're getting it fresh right from the farmer,” Bielo said. “You know where the food is coming from.”

Another benefit the market has for a community is the environment.

“The stuff brought into the farmers market is making a trek of miles, not hundreds and hundreds of miles,” he said. “Environmentally it's more sound to have a local farm market.”

Business is generated when people visit the market and shop at other local businesses, Dandoy said.

“It increases the quality of life in the community,” he said. “It gives another place for people to congregate and enjoy themselves.”

Butler County Farmer's MarketWHERE: 205 S. Chestnut St.WHERE: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays from May to OctoberCONTACT: 916-342-5256Butler Farm MarketWHERE: 901 Evans City Road, RenfrewWHERE: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays to Thursdays; 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Fridays; 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturdays; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday; May to OctoberCONTACT: 724-486-2194Cranberry Township Farmer's MarketWHERE: Cranberry Township Municipal Center (rear parking lot), 2525 Rochester Road, Cranberry TownshipWHEN: 3 to 6 p.m. Fridays from June to October (end date is weather permitting)CONTACT: 724-776-4806Harvest View Farm and MarketWHERE: 143 Eagle Mill RoadWHEN: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays to Saturdays from April to December; noon to 6 p.m. Sundays in OctoberCONTACT: 724-282-8038Mars Farmer's MarketWHERE: 225 Crowe Ave., MarsWHEN: 9 a.m. to noon Saturdays from May to OctoberCONTACT: 724-776-3527Slippery Rock Community Farmers MarketWHERE: Rock Falls Park, Route 173, Slippery RockWHEN: 9 a.m. to noon Saturdays through Oct. 29Slippery Rock Farmer's MarketWHERE: 111 Stoughton Beach, Slippery RockWHEN: 9 a.m. to noon Saturdays from May 7 to Oct. 29CONTACT: SRCFarmersMarket@gmail.com or 724-374-3276Streets of Cranberry Farmer's MarketWHERE: 20412 Route 19, Cranberry TownshipWHEN: 1 to 7 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays from mid-June to early OctoberCONTACT: 401-334-8762Zelienople-Harmony Farmer's MarketWHERE: Zelienople Park, E. Beaver St., ZelienopleWHEN: 3:30 to 7 p.m. Thursdays from June 6 to Sept. 26CONTACT: 724-473-0017