Glastonbury Farmers’ Market

Cut to the chase. Take me to the Momsense.

It was only last summer that Mandy and I discovered Farmers’ Markets as a wonderful source of family fun. I don’t know why we didn’t think of it sooner–they’re outside in an open space and beautiful sunshine, there are often musicians performing and sometimes there’s even free entertainment just for the kiddos (like free pony rides). And best of all, if anyone in the crew gets hungry, there’s always a healthy snack in arm’s reach.

After I had the little guy last July, I was even more enamored with Farmers’ Markets. They were a great way for me to get “out and about” with my new baby and return with some delicious treats for our sleep-deprived household.

So far, we’ve blogged about two of the big, well-known ones in our area–the Coventry Regional Farmers’ Market and the South Windsor Farmers’ Market. But if you look at this list of Farmers’ Markets in CT, you may be surprised to find out that there are dozens of Farmers’ Markets across the state. Including one in my hometown of Glastonbury, CT.

Now, we have had a loosely organized Farmers’ Market in the Gbury for a few years now. But last year, the Market was officially established and now takes place every Saturday during the summer and early fall from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on the Hubbard Green.

If you live in Glastonbury, you know that the Hubbard Green is a central fixture in town life. From the Memorial Day Parade to the Town Band Concerts to the Fine Art & Craft Show, lots of fun events happen on this historic stretch of green located on the corner of Main and Hubbard. So it makes sense that the Glastonbury Farmers’ Market would set up here too.

Currently, the Market is set up in the section of the Green that is right on the Main Street/Hubbard Street corner. This makes it very easy to see as you drive down Main Street.

Today, we were actually coming from the other direction because I happen to live not too far from there, and Boo and I thought it would be nice to stroll over. Well, I strolled. He was in the stroller.

As we approached the Hubbard Green, I tried to figure out what the parking situation was.

There were a couple parking attendants helping to direct traffic and answer questions.

Just so you can get your bearings, the Market is this way:

Parking is allowed alongside the Green and, according to the attendant I spoke with, on both sides of the road that runs between the Hubbard Green and historic Green Cemetery (if you have some time, and you’re not creeped out by grave stones, it’s actually kind of neat to see all the super old headstones in the western section of the cemetery; they date back to the early 1700’s…maybe even earlier).

If you park here, just get out of your car and keep walking in the same direction as the cars are going. You’ll run right into the Market at the far end of the Green. If you’re walking up Hubbard like I was, here’s the view of the market from that side. See those tents in the distance? There it is! Just in front of that brick building that houses a little museum.

BTW, the road running between the Museum and the Market is the “exit” for parking. So don’t try to turn in there (there should be another parking attendant there to direct traffic).

Now, as I mentioned earlier, the Glastonbury Farmers’ Market is not nearly as large as the other two markets we’ve reviewed so far (here and here). Personally, I am hoping that you all flock to the Market after reading this post and make it soooo popular that it doubles in size next year. Can you help a Glastonbury girl out? 🙂

But even so, there are still plenty of yummy and interesting things to find here. And there’s more than enough variety so that you can go home with a bag filled with fresh and local items for meals and snacks.

Currently, the Glastonbury Farmers’ Market has over 20 vendors and offers all kinds of goodies ranging from fresh fruits and vegetables to local eggs to homemade cookies to artisan olive oils, soaps, cheeses, honey, and more. I thought I’d give you a little tour of some of the vendors I was able to chat with.

Delicious cookies…

Fresh produce…

Amazing local cheeses…

Some very charismatic young men taught me all about Aquaponics…

Microgreens seem to be all the rage right now (didn’t I just see an article in the Hartford Courant food section about them?)…

Beautiful bodycare products…

And so many other great local items to try…

Another wonderful feature of Farmers’ Markets is that they often have FREE live music. Kids love just about any kind of music 🙂

I was having such a great time wandering from tent to tent and chatting with the vendors, that I hardly noticed how quiet Boo had become. Ahhh, here’s why…

I guess a morning of shopping really tuckered him out!

Back at home, we examined our haul. Here’s what we purchased: snap peas, raspberries, a golden zucchini (yeah, I’d never heard of that either–which is why I had to try it!) goat cheese and chocolate chunk cookies. And we spent a grand total of about $20.

Not bad. A beautiful morning spent outdoors and some treats for the weekend ahead. Sounds like the perfect way to start every summer Saturday 🙂

What’s your favorite Farmers’ Market to frequent?

 

 

 

The Glastonbury Farmers’ Market

The Hubbard Green, on the corner of Main Street and Hubbard Street, Glastonbury, CT

Contact Market Master Brenda Sullivan with questions, etc. at glastonburyfarmersmarket@gmail.com

Follow the Glastonbury Farmers’ Market on Facebook for the latest updates and info!

Hours:

Saturdays, 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. from June 28th to October 25th (2014)

Click here to see the schedule of special events.

Pricing:

Admission to the Glastonbury Farmers’ Market is FREE.

Details:

• Stroller Friendly: YES. Just choose a stroller that will ride easily over grass.
• Coffee Mug Friendly: YES.
• Restrooms: YES. Porta-Potty located along the stretch of road between the Hubbard Green and Green Cemetery.
• Baby Changing Station:  NO.
• Parking: Parking is free. Parking attendants will help you figure out where to park. In general, parking is allowed all around the Green except where it is bordered by Hubbard Street (and Main Street). When the road around the Green is full, the parking attendants will allow parking on grassy areas (they’ll show you which ones).
• Food for Sale: YES. But there aren’t any food vendors selling ready-to-eat snacks or meal items.
• Outside Food Allowed: YES.
• Cash Required: YES. Many of the vendors do accept credit cards and/or checks, but some are cash only so bring some cash just in case.
• Dress Code: None.
• Evening/Weekend Hours: YES.

Tips & Things to Bring:

• It’s always a good idea to bring your own shopping bag for your purchases. Most vendors do not give out shopping bags.
• Be sure to bring sunblock, hats, etc. The area is shaded by trees in places, but you will be in the sun too.
• Bring some water. I don’t recall seeing any place to buy a beverage, and it could get hot out there.
• If you’re going to be buying anything perishable, like cheese, you might want to consider bringing a cooler bag with an ice pack so you don’t have to run home as soon as you purchase it to get it in the fridge.
• You can find a complete list of regular vendors on the Glastonbury Farmer’s Market’s website.
• However, not every vendor is necessarily scheduled to be there every week.
• If you’re interested in extending your outing with a longer stroll, check out this map of some walking routes around Glastonbury.

•  4D Vision Gym – A vision training center located in Cromwell, CT where Dr. Juanita Collier, MS, OD and her staff show members how to utilize Vision Therapy to correct visual issues and make learning and playing easier and more fun.
• The Independent Day School – Located on a rural campus in Middlefield, CT this private pre-school, elementary and middle school serves families from over 20 communities.

Are you interested in becoming an Out and About Mom sponsor? Click here for more info.

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