Today, the kids and I planned a super ambitious day. Stephen is still out of town and it’s so much easier with Nick and Sally if we are busy and out of the house.
We decided to start our day at the Willoughby Farmers’ Market. The market is in downtown Willoughby. It was not hard to find at all. We parked in a nearby school parking lot. It was easy to access. Nick and Sally both enjoyed the fountain located near the gazebo on the way to the market.
At first glance, this is like any other market. An open area with booths of vendors set up.
Many people were buying flowers and plants. Since it’s the middle of May, it’s time to plant tomatoes and other things in the ground. We were happy to see Rainbow Farms at the market. We’ve done some U-Pick at their farm. We bought some lettuce and Nick purchased a cucumber. Sadly, this was the only local farm that I was able to find at the market.
The booth that amazed me the most was the semi truck parked behind this huge row of tables of “fresh” produce. I don’t think any of it was from any farm in Ohio. It was obvious that they had just picked up skids of food at the Cleveland Food Terminal or a place like it. They had pineapples and lemons and bananas! ARGH. I really hope that people realize that this is not supporting our local farmers. Many of the workers at this booth were Amish, so in respect, I didn’t photograph much of it.
I will admit that we bought a watermelon. When Nick and Sally get excited about vegetables and fruit, I don’t want to squash that enthusiasm. We ate some tonight. It was ok, but nothing like the fresh, local, organic melons that will be in season late summer.
The rest of the market was mostly crafts and some home produced baked goods. There was also some local cheese and honey.
The market was right next to a church and they had a sign that the restrooms were open. I thought that was nice to know. Having two little kids, restrooms are always on our mind.
If you’re looking for a quaint walk through Historic Willoughby on a Saturday morning, it’s worth walking through the market. But, if you want a true Farmers’ Market, we have some great ones in the area – just not in Willoughby.