In today’s day and age, I think more and more Americans are taking steps to have a sustainable life. Although I like to think I do my part helping the planet, I’ve never considered myself a super “green” person. Of course I try my best by recycling, buying those light bulbs that last a thousand years, turning off the water when I brush my teeth, and, to the dismay of a lot of my other mother friends, using cloth diapers. It wasn’t until my son was born, however, that I started buying organic and local food. Perhaps it’s just me, but I remember when one would associate the word “organic” with hippies. Even the Disney movie Cars depicts the Volkswagen van, Fillmore, selling organic fuel. However, buying local is a big part of living green and every Wednesday and Saturday locals are able to shop at the local farmers market.
If you’ve never been to the farmers market you should definitely go because you’re in for a real treat. Not only can you find almost everything on your grocery list, it’s a fun family experience. Now, I’ve been to more farmers’ markets then I can count and the Saratoga Farmer’s Market is by far one of my favorites. Since we’re rather new to Saratoga, we’ve been to the winter location a few times (only on Saturdays from November to April). However, this past Saturday, we got up early to go the outdoor location grand opening. Upon arriving at the pavilions in High Rock Park we found plenty of parking and more vendors then we ever imagined.
Tents over flowed onto the sidewalks and there was everything from fresh bakery goods, wine, honey, meat, seafood, and produce to flowers. Live music by Running the River played while we shopped and several times we had to stop so our little one could boogey. I won’t lie and say my husband and I didn’t break a few moves ourselves. We also found out there was an EBT machine where you can use your debit or credit card to get market tokens worth five dollars a piece for no extra charge. This little perk I’ve never seen before, and although I didn’t use it, it’s nice to know for the future. By the end of our visit, we found our hands full of goodies and our pockets empty. Of course our intention was not to buy anything and just have a fun morning exploring the market, but by the time we had walked through the farmer’s market twice, we couldn’t help but buy this and that.
Like I said, if you’ve never been, you should definitely get out and see what they have to offer. I would say, “Just walk through and not buy anything”, but every time I’ve tried that method, I’ve left with more goodies then I anticipated. Another perk is that this summer location is right downtown so you can enjoy walking around town afterwards. Also, if you can’t make it on Saturdays from 9:00am-1:00pm, they are also open Wednesdays from 3:00pm-6:00pm. Just for the record, I’m already planning on going back tomorrow night to pick up the things my husband told me I couldn’t get. Hope to see you there!
