to market

looking down from the second floor of West Shore Market

I have an infatuation with markets, especially outdoor farmers' markets.

I love watching the sun rise on the way to set up displays of fresh produce. I love the colorful stands of neighboring vendors. I love happy shoppers who bustle about with reusable bags brimming with garden goodness. I love providing customers with quality food...

With a little break in my usual extra-curricular activities recently, I made time to check out two more area markets: West Shore Farmers Market and Farmers On the Square. (I have a goal to visit local markets wherever I live.)

While it was interesting to visit these two new markets (ps- the mixed berry yoghurt drink I purchased from Gettysburg Creamery at the Farmers On the Square was absolutely amazing!), I'm still sticking with my favorite local produce points: Dillsburg Farmers Market, and a small farm stand on 641 between Carlisle and Mechanicsburg. (and I still love Midland's Farmers' Market back home.)

After stressing in the hectic traffic, hunting for a parking space, waiting for 5 minutes for the "walk" sign at the busy intersection where Farmers On the Square is held, browsing the gourmet, over-priced produce and specialty items, and gazing at the $1 each zinnia stems the other evening...

I stopped at "my" little farm stand on the way back to Mechanicsburg and purchased two butternut squash and a lovely bouquet of zinnias ($6 total). No crowds, great selection, reasonable prices, and fresh, local items. That's the kind of farm produce I like.

And tomorrow, I plan to visit Filey's Pride and a couple other favorite stalls in Dillsburg, where I can buy fresh, local produce directly from the farmers.

It still feels a bit silly that I'm the customer instead of the seller, but... that's how life is these days :)