I’m ashamed to admit it, but Saturday’s tryst to the return of the Downtown Farmers Market was my first visit there. Here’s a large event, held right outside my office door, and I’ve not made it before now.
But wow, what a first visit it was.
I love farmers markets for the simple reason that while I love to garden and grow my own vegetables, there are not enough hours in the day or days in the week for me to really do what I’d want to do in the produce department. I plant tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers and usually radishes and onion, but that’s about it. So I came to the farmers market on Saturday expecting to be overwhelmed.
I wasn’t disappointed, but I was overwhelmed even beyond my own expectations.
Flowers, plants, foods, candies, meats, jewelry, crafts, baked goods, live music — and that was just within the first few areas I walked. I could smell a blend of funnel cakes and zinnias (interesting combination for the nose, let me tell you) and people watch to my heart’s content.
In talking to people at the market I was somewhat surprised to find as many newcomers as I did — many of whom credited their first trek to wanting to see downtown Cedar Rapids rebuild, revive and thrive.
I’d say we’re off to a good start.
