This past Saturday, Julia and I went to the Square around 10:00 am to walk around the Farmer’s Market for a fun, free summer activity.
We picked up some locally made Arsaga’s coffee and hit the plant stands. Though I usually go to the Farmer’s Market to window shop, today I decided to pick up some summer plants for my home garden. I purchased some tomato and pepper plants from the dH Farm booth, a small family-owned farm located in West Fork, AR. Purchasing produce and crops from local farms like this one stimulates the NWA economy and allows you to get the freshest and tastiest foods available. Though I didn’t pick up any foods today, I love getting fresh fruit and veggies from the Farmer’s Market to use for cooking—they’re more flavorful than a lot of imported varieties and add more character to my meals.
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In addition to produce, the Farmer’s Market boasts a diverse selection of organic honey, home goods, local services, and various plants. Julia and I stopped by the White River Creamery stand where Julia picked up some artisan soap and lotion.
Julia with her new food waste bucket (and a reusable bag!)
Julia and I then made our way to the City of Fayetteville booth. I picked up my own free food waste bin and we learned more about the city’s compostable food waste drop off program. The City of Fayetteville is heavily involved in Farmer’s Market programs and created the “Double Your Dollars” Match Program which allows customers to use their EBT/SNAP/WIC cards to purchase goods at multiple Farmer’s Market locations across Northwest Arkansas. For more information regarding the “Double Your Dollars” program and SNAP-eligible items, visit the Farmer’s Market Alliance website.
Flowers are a quintessential part of the Farmer’s Market experience. Today, I picked up some beautiful wildflowers from Sister’s Sprouts Farms. The flowers you purchase at the Farmer’s Market are likely picked mere hours before you purchase them and are the freshest and most beautiful option available—great for brightening up a dull dorm room corner.
A stand of bouquets for sale.
To conclude our Farmer’s Market adventure, Julia and I checked out a few more plant stands. The Fayetteville Farmer’s Market has a great selection of native plants and a wide-ranging assortment of house plants that can spruce up your home interior. I didn’t purchase any more house plants today, but the jade plant I got from the market a few years ago is still going strong.
If you are interested in learning more about the Fayetteville Farmer’s Market, follow them on Instagram at @fayettevillefarmersmarket and visit their website here. The market is actually open year-round and moves to an indoor venue during the winter months. The list of sellers is available online at the Farmer’s Market website, complete with a booth map and descriptions of vendors. Buying what you can at the Farmer’s Market supports our NWA small farmer and artist community, but it’s also a great place to stroll around and catch up with friends—no spending required.
By Sophie Hill, Zero Waste Coordinator.