The Farmer’s Markets Are Back
By Lynn Blamires Content Writer for My Local Utah
The Ogden Farmer’s Market opened on Memorial Day Weekend, the traditional start of the summer season. School is out and the Farmer’s Markets are open.
With this being the first day of the season for the Ogden market, I wanted to see for myself what the response would be on this rainy opening. I can tell you that the shoppers were plentiful and undaunted. Despite temperatures in the 50s, people were in shorts with rubber boots and opened umbrellas for the occasion.
Opening Day Attendance Heavy in Spite of Rain
I talked to several vendors and all of them were surprised at the turnout. Some of them ran short of products not anticipating the crowd that plied the booths
This opening day marks the beginning of a 16-week run that will see 25th street in Ogden closed to accommodate over 200 vendor booths every Saturday. That run will end in September on the 10th.
Every Week There Is Something Different
One characteristic I love about these markets is that each one will be different from the week before. New vendors will pop up, old vendors will display new products, and farm crops will change each week as the season progresses. For that reason, you won’t be disappointed by going to the market every week.
Farmer’s Market Different than a Fruit Stand
There is a distinct difference between a Farmer’s Market and a Fruit Stand. With a Fruit Stand, you are going there with one purpose and that is to buy produce. You never know what you will find at a Farmer’s Market.
What You Will See at the Market
I am drawn by the sights, sounds, smells, and people at these markets. I am a people watcher so I like to see who goes, what they wear, and what they are attracted to.
First, the sights – three bakeries had their wares displayed and we are not just talking about bread. There were savory delights, sweet treats, and unusual flavors. Abigail’s Oven had sourdough bread baked in Dutch ovens and that was a popular booth.
Base Camp Treats offered samples of freeze-dried candy. This company learned that they could better preserve treats for the trail by flash freezing the candy. It doesn’t melt or get sticky.
Poor Boys offered jerky and salsa in flavors you have never dreamed of. Two other vendors offered varieties of salsa including Salsa D’ Borracha and Z’s Hot Sauce and Marinade.
There were woodworks that featured beautiful wood pieces for show and practical purposes. Henna Tattoos displayed elaborate temporary tattoos and Kuhn had a booth with all products for the beard.
Boniche Handcrafted Soaps had soaps that looked good enough to eat. Ken’s Pens had a booth again this year. Ken showed me a pen cut from coffee wood that smelled like coffee. The Mountain Born Creamery had a delicious display of artisan butter.
The Intermountain Gourmet Mushroom and Misfit Mushrooms are all about varieties of fungus I had never heard of – Lion’s Mane, Chestnut, and the Oyster are types of mushrooms to cook with. You don’t just go out in the woods and pick a mushroom. These people know and love mushrooms.
There were rock shops and vendors displaying fresh flowers. Vendors offered face paintings, candles, and T-shirts. Dawnita’s Delights is about gourmet treats with which to pamper your pets.
Had I not gone to this market I would have never known about Shed Antler Dog Chews. Not being a dog, I didn’t know they like to chew on antlers.
What You Will Hear at the Market
Another part of the market is the sounds. There is always some local musical talent on stage with music that provides an ambiance to the marketplace worth experiencing.
The Delicious Aromas at the Market
Then there are the smells of hot food wafting over the marketplace. Vendors were serving Venezuelan, Mexican, Vietnamese, and Puerto Rican food that had hungry people lined up. Then there were those treats without aromas that are nonetheless inviting like ice cream, unending flavors of popcorn, and snow cones. These are treats at the Farmer’s Market that are not so available elsewhere.
Finally, there are the people who come to peruse the vendor booths. I love to watch the people that the vendors are trying to attract. Families there on an outing, young people cruising the ‘vard (well, walking around), children eating treats, and mothers doting over their babies. The fashion was influenced by the weather as I mentioned earlier – shorts with rubber boots and umbrellas.
Other Farmer’s Markets You Might Want to Visit
The Farmer’s Market season is open and there is much to see and eat. There are no two markets alike and there are many offered that are worth your attention. Here are some others to consider:
- Layton Fest is held in the Layton Commons. Opens in July and information can be found by clicking here.
- Bountiful Farmer’s Market. It opens in mid-June and information is available by clicking here.
- Brigham City Farmer’s Market. It opens on June 19th, click here for more information
- Cache Valley Gardener’s Market. Is open from now through October 16th. Find information by clicking
- Liberty Park Market. Opens on June 16th, find information by clicking
Make a Farmer’s Market a part of your summer activities this year. For more markets around the state go to UtahFarmersMarketNetwork.org and enhance your dining table with something new from a Farmer’s Market.