I can remember going to the Farmer’s Market with my mom on Saturday mornings when I was a kid. I remember all of these pick up trucks parked in a circle with the tailgates down and all kinds of vegetables, fruits and flowers just spilling over those tailgates. It was beautiful and bountiful and I loved to go and help my mom pick out all kinds of fresh vegetables for our family. Today it seems that Farmer’s Markets are having a rebirth and that got me thinking about a Ten on Tuesday topic and here we are with: Ten Great Things About the Farmer’s Market.
- Local vendors. If you want to keep and support farms then they need a venue for selling their products. The Farmer’s Market is made for them, as indicated by the very name of the event.
- Fresh vegetables. Also sort of the point of the whole thing, right? I can’t emphasize enough, though, how important it is to eat fresh and seasonable vegetables. We’re getting tomatoes here now and I’m so excited! Not to mention the corn, zucchini, squash, peppers, beets, beans and more.
- The ability to purchase in bulk. You can haggle with a farmer and get a whole bushel of beans or beets or something and then go home and can them or pickle them for use this winter. It brings you right back to summer when you open one of those jars.
- Flowers. I love that there are cut flowers and potted plants available.
- Crafts. Now, I have mixed feelings about crafters selling their stuff at the Farmer’s Market, but I do think it’s a good venue for local people to get some exposure and attention. Some of the stuff I’ve seen is junk, though, and has no business being included.
- Music. Last weekend my husband’s band played at our local Farmer’s Market. On other weeks I know they’ve had bluegrass music and other types of music and I think it really adds to the festive atmosphere of the day.
- Delicious food. I had a yummy pulled pork sandwich on Sunday and there was lots of other food to choose from, too.
- Seeing friends. It’s fun to shop and walk and bump into people you know. One of our friends is even a vendor now and he’s there selling his Richard’s Famous Garlic Salt. That’s some great stuff, I tell you.
- It’s a pretty setting. Our Farmer’s Market is set in a pine grove and it smells wonderful and looks beautiful.
- Good intentions. Shopping and supporting local farms is something we can all do and it creates a wonderful sense of community when we put our good intentions into practice.
The setting for your market is just charming, Carole! Here in Kzoo, we have an actual permanent market space set up, which is not so idyllic, but very convenient for both farmers and shoppers. I’m with you on the crafters — we have a few. . . but very few.
Number six, absolutely!! Going to a farmer’s market and hearing live music has always been one of my favorite things in the summertime. My second favorite thing about farmers markets is finding sauces. Every market I’ve been to we pick up some new and interesting kind of concoction to put on our meals, and I love trying new things!
I am really enjoying the markets this year. They don’t have music at ours though! Dale needs to come down here!
Our market is on a green in town–no shade! Yours looks so cool and inviting. I mentioned the beaded jewelry in my list. I like the really fine crafts that I see, but there’s too much junk at times…I totally agree with you that it goes against the spirit of the market.
I can remember going in to the grand-daddy of all farmer’s markets in Boston with my dad … there was something about walking the streets of Boston, holding my dad’s hand, hearing all the people laughing, talking, and yes, even yelling at each other during their (sometimes heated) haggling process. I remember the smells of the fresh vegetables, fruit, flowers, and even candy. Haymarket was an experience I’ll never forget – and I’d love to go again someday.
The most beautiful, flavorful and freshest veggies I’ve ever eaten have come from the farmers market. In the fall it’s the only place to get great squashes, bags of potatoes, or onion. It’s such a looked-forward-to summer tradition!
I went to a small nearly farmers’ market yesterday. Not as scenic as yours but lots of yumminess. There is a small market nearly every day in the metro area–very convenient but not as much fun. Enjoy your veggies!
There’s a big weekly Farmer’s Market in our neighboring (and only!) community. Besides veg and fruit, there’s fish – and yarn! But it’s only once a week. Our own town has just sprouted a daily market at the local horse farm – I bet they have the best manure!
Back when I lived in California my chum and I walked a couple of miles pulling baskets. We loaded up each weekend. I’d buy bouquets of basil and I made pesto every week to freeze for the off-season. There was one vender who always set aside the most interesting looking peppers for my buddy after learning of her passion for peppers. I miss that market.
That’s a gorgeous site!! Our city is in the midst of a complete overhaul, it seems, and whatever beauty & charm we had at our site are now gone… to be replaced, and even better (so they say), but it’s going to be a while.
I’m so happy that farm markets are growing and thriving again!
We have a summer home in Northern Michigan and Boyne City has the best farmer’s market I have ever been to. We go every Wednesday and Saturday morning and get whatever looks good and work dinner around it. So fresh and good. I agree with you about the crafts, although I got some deer antler buttons that I would never have found otherwise and that are just beautiful. Most of the craft stuff is kind of tacky though. We are going late this year (middle of August, so I am hoping that there is still a lot available. Most years I buy a lug of cherries and pit and freeze them for the winter. I have a notion that I will be too late this year.
Our farmer’s market has a few vendors that raise fiber animals and they sell roving, raw fleece, and handspun. There is also a fabulous soap maker, a woman that makes jewelry with dichroic glass (she is truly an artist), a couple of people that make doggie treats, and a couple of weavers. I agree with you about the crafts, but I wouldn’t want to be the person who judges who should be allowed to vend and who shouldn’t—one person’s junk is another’s treasure. When I see the craptastic crafts, I figure someone must buy that stuff or the vendor wouldn’t come back week after week. Now that I’m retired, I’ve considered checking into renting a stall to sell stuff I sew and woven items.