Today's farmer's markets are full of fresh ideas as well as fresh produce.

RODALE NEWS, EMMAUS, PA—There's often a throwback feel to farmer's markets, where you can seek out the same heirloom vegetable varieties your great-grandmother adored. Old-school, heritage-breed chicken eggs? Yep, a true farmer's market probably offers them. And while the farmer's market is a place where you can escape the creepy elevator music and pre-fabricated food of the modern day grocery store, vendors and market managers certainly haven't left innovation in the past. Today, farmer's markets continue to cultivate tradition while tapping technology and offering new products to make shoppers' lives easier.

Here are some new and emerging farmer's market ideas that are gaining steam across the country.

Mobile payment technology
Your favorite farmer at the market might be donning a straw hat and overalls, but more than ever, he or she might be harboring an iPhone one of the pockets, too. Many growers realize the farmer's market shoppers often spend more when it's not "cash only," and are processing a customer's credit or debit card through an iPhone or other smartphone app.

On-site demonstrations
Nowadays, dish out a few bucks for local, organic greens and dairy products at a local farmer's market, and you're liable to get an all-out education. Farmer's markets are becoming learning hubs, featuring cooking demonstrations, wellness clinics, and even food preservation classes. (You can save major money by buying in-season produce in bulk at farmer's markets.) For instance, the maker of the popular Ball canning jars joined with the Farmers Market Coalition to provide funds and equipment for canning seminars at the following markets this season:

• Agricultural Institute of Marin, San Rafael CA
• Associated Farmers Market of Cambridge LLC, Cambridge MA
• Bloomington Community Farmers Market, Bloomington IN
• Capital City Farmers, Montpelier VT
• Carrboro Farmers Market, Carrboro NC
• CitySeed Farmers Market, New Haven CT
• Columbia Farmers Market, Columbia MO
• Community Markets, Ossining NY
• Crossroads Bellevue Farmers Market, Bellevue WA
• Downtown Farmers Market, Salt Lake City UT
• Easton Farmers Market, Columbus OH
• Eden Good Inc - West End Farmers Market, Alexandria VA
• F2M Texas, Cedar Park & Round Rock TX
• Farmers Market Association of Toledo, Toledo OH
• Findlay Farmers Market, Cincinnati OH
• Forsyth Farmers Market, Savannah GA
• FRESHFARM Markets, Washington DC
• fresh52 Farmers & Artisan Market, Las Vegas NV
• Glenview Farmers Market, Glenview IL
• Greater Lehigh Chapter of Buy Fresh Buy Local, Easton PA
• Interstate Farmers Market, Portland OR
• Lancaster Market, Lancaster NY
• Larimer County Farmers Market, Fort Collins CO
• Lawrence Farmers Market, Lawrence KS
• Lincoln Haymarket Farmers Market, Lincoln NE
• Main Street Farmers Market, Statesboro GA
• Maple Grove Farmers Market, Maple Grove MN
• Market Central Inc., Charlottesville VA
• Market Square Farmers Market, Knoxville TN
• Memphis Farmers Market, Memphis TN
• Mill City Farmers Market, Minneapolis MN
• Minturn Market, Minturn CO
• Neighborhood Farmers Market Alliance, Seattle WA
• New Hope Community Farmers Market, New Hope MN
• Omaha Farmers Market, Omaha NE
• Oregon City Farmers Market, Oregon City OR
• Overland Park Farmers Market, Overland Park KS
• Peachtree Road Farmers Market, Atlanta GA
• Pearl Farmers Market, San Antonio TX
• Phoenixville Farmers Market, Phoenixville PA
• Plainfield Township Farmers Market, Grand Rapids MI
• Real Food Gulf Coast, Long Beach MS
• Red Stick Farmers Market (Project of BREADA), Baton Rouge LA
• Rochester Downtown Farmers Market, Rochester MN
• SFC Farmers Market, Austin TX
• St. Louis Regional Food Security Coalition/St. Louis Regional Farmers
Market Association, St. Louis MO
• Sustainable Nantucket, Nantucket MA
• Teller County Farmers Market Association, Woodland Park CO
• The Webb City Farmers Market, Webb City MO
• Williamsburg Farmers Market, Williamsburg VA