Farmers Markets You Won't Want to Miss!
By Lynn Blamires Content Writer for My Local Utah
Farmers Markets
Utah is lucky enough to have an abundance of Farmers Markets throughout the state! We have the top 20 highlighted in our events section at the bottom of this page. Find one near you and be sure to tell us your favorite in the comments below!
I visited the Ogden Farmers Market on Saturday. The first thing I learned about the Farmers Market is that the vendors are not all farmers and it is as much a show as it is a market. Here are my favorite highlights from the Ogden Farmers Market.
- Live Entertainment
As we began our stroll, we enjoyed music by a duo who called themselves, “Hit ‘n Miss.” They were good, I figured that he was the “Hit” and she was the “Miss.” - The Mystery of Mushrooms
One of the first vendors to catch my eye was the “Misfit Mushroom” booth. My eyes were opened to a whole new world of mushrooms. Lion’s Mane, Pink Oyster, Black Pearl Oyster, King Blue, and King Oyster, the only one I recognized was the Shitake.
While at the booth, I was given some mushroom jerky to try. It was like chewing on a piece of leather. It was good leather and I liked it. I decided that I needed to learn more about mushrooms to be able to cook with them. - The Freshest Bakery goods
Volker’s Bakery out of Kamas was my next stop. The Ogden market is their favorite place to show and it is a benefit on both them and their customers – the customers get their freshest wares and the bakery sells their greatest volume. - Silent Wind Chimes
Silent Wind Chimes caught my eye. What is this oxymoron? They are beautiful, but they don’t make any noise. I am used to the wind kissing my chimes and making them sing in a melodic way. Still, these were beautiful hanging pieces. - All things Beard
The Kuhn Beard Products booth featured all things for growing and maintaining a beard. I tried to grow a beard once. It didn’t come in full and robust. My wife took a picture, I smiled, and she asked me never to try to grow a beard again. - Tattoos – any way you like them
The Custom Made Tattoos shop made me think. Tattoos are becoming so popular these days and I saw a number of them on people in the crowd. I thought, if I ever got a tattoo, it would be one of the Choose the Right shields. It would be right there to remind me to make the right choice. - The Peanut Brittle Lady
And then I met the Peanut Brittle Lady, Patrice Walker. She began making peanut brittle at home for family and friends in the early 1980s and now she is in the business of marketing her brittle. It is as though she has created something out of nothing. Patrice now has a business of 35 accounts and it continues to grow. - Gourmet Popsicles
La Bonita features gourmet Mexican popsicles. Called paletas in Mexico, these are fruit bars and not your ordinary fruit bars either. One featured in a review on Yelp was made of cucumbers and chili peppers – cool and spicy. Three other flavors mentioned include pecan, kiwi, and strawberry cream. They have sweet, savory, creamy, and fruit-based flavors. - Heat in a Flavorful Sauce
I was attracted to a hot sauce vendor who was selling some sauces that piqued my interest. I like to spice up my food, but I have enough experience to be careful when picking my heat. The Z’s Hot Sauce booth was offering one made from the Carolina Reaper – one of the hottest peppers known to man. The label on the bottle reads, “Carolina Reaper Mash.” This sauce has the true flavor of the Carolina Reaper pepper in every drop. It’s definitely made for the true chile head that loves to get fired up.
They convinced me that it has both heat and flavor, so I took a bottle home to try. They are a regular at the Farmers Market, but they also sell their products online at Etsy. - Homemade with a Pennsylvania Flavor
Joline Yoder talked to me at the Yoder’s Family Kitchen booth. Her family is from Pennsylvania and they sell homemade jams, assorted pickled products, and pure local honey. They are located in Tremonton, Utah. - Magic Show
A large group of people were gathered around a magic show. He was good and it was fun to watch, but there was another show I was attracted to at the Farmers Market. The show was among the people who came to the market. Being a people watcher, I like to watch the shoppers. They love to shop and that is what they were there to do. I have a feeling that every week at the Farmers Market will be a whole new experience. In fact, I think that is the way it was meant to be.