The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania possesses a distinctive industrial and agricultural heritage, and is specifically distinguished by its agricultural diversity. The same is true of the Wyoming Valley region. However, historical studies of the Wyoming Valley have commonly emphasized the industrial over the agricultural. In particular, the Wyoming Valley has often been defined by its history of anthracite mining and what has occurred beneath the surface of the land.With a focus on the Wilkes-Barre Farmers’ Market, we are examining the historical surface and current significance of regional farming.

Exploring the social history of this intersection of the agrarian and the urban, our efforts will serve to celebrate the region’s agricultural and human diversity. To this end, we are conducting interviews with those active in a range of regional farming initiatives, and with residents who visit and benefit from the Wilkes-Barre Farmers’ Market.

As a guiding principle, we aim to add to the existing studies of the Wyoming Valley’s agricultural heritage, and to enhance the connections between Wilkes University and regional agriculture. Our objective is to explore the Wyoming Valley region’s equally diverse and fertile landscape, a still largely undiscovered country that is also constantly changing.