Fresh Local Produce – From Michigan’s Great Fruit Belt

Since 1860, the Benton Harbor Fruit Market has been the hub for fresh produce in the Midwest. For years, the Market was the largest open air, straight-from-the-farm market in the United States. Still to this day, during the growing season local farmers bring in their harvested produce. Every day during the season, thousands of bushels of fresh vegetables come to the market and are re-distributed throughout the United States in 3 specific ways:

• ​Large commercial wholesale shipments shipping quantities from 1 – 24 tons at a time to large supermarket chains and foodservice distributors nationwide.
• 50 – 1000 pound quantities shipped to  restaurants, produce stands, and small wholesale produce operators within 100 miles.
• Half bushel to bushel quantities shipped to the public, churches, caterers, and other small produce stands locally. Did someone say, “canning time”?!
•  We have farms of all sizes coming into the market, from large 1,000 acre operators, to small 5-acre hobby farms. Growers of all sizes are welcome!

​Fresh means picked today!

Our Produce

​Due to our special location, Southwest Michigan has the ability to grow almost anything. Cool summer breezes off Lake Michigan, along with a very temperate growing season, good soils, and ample water, make Southwest Michigan an excellent location to access the best fresh produce. Why? We can pick it fresh, ripe, and ready to eat. You know the difference when you bite into a fresh Michigan peach. You bite into that peach, and immediately you know you have just tried something special, as you grab a napkin to wipe the juice from your mouth.

The variety of produce coming through the market during the season is staggering. Did you know there are over 500 varieties of apples? Squash of all kinds, tomatoes, cucumbers, raspberries, strawberries are just a few of the local offerings. The local growers invest their time and resources into growing what they feel will best answer the demand from the local community. If you are interested in farm-to-table and all things local, the Benton Harbor Fruit Market is the perfect place!

Grower Fees

Growers who have paid for a yearly stall will not be assessed package fees. For semi-truck quantities, including yearly stall purchases with semi-truck loads, will be assessed a $30.00 fee per day fee for use of BHFM Inc. forklift.