Even though the clouds were out and the rain had already fallen once that morning, the Saturday morning Shreveport Farmers' Market in dowtown Festival Plaza was still bustling with shoppers looking for fresh, home-grown produce, home-made food and arts, plants, and unique items. I was one of those shoppers.
This was my first time going to the market, so I did a quick walk-by of all of the booths to see what was being offered. I saw delicious looking Ruston peaches in wicker baskets, tables of fruits and vegetables of all varieties, water-melons piled high on tables and in the back of pick-up trucks, home-made jams and jellies, shelled and bagged purple hull peas, bushes, herbs and flowers in pots, fresh flower arrangements, fresh baked cookies and bread, home-made beef jerkey, grilled sausage, bowls of gumbo and other home-made foods, and the list goes on and on! My head was spinning with the sights, sounds, and smells of everything around me.
After a closer look (and a few samples!) at the wares, I decided to buy the Red Habanero Jelly from Ole' Homestead Jelly. I first tasted Ole' Homestead Jelly at On Cloud Wine (Shreveport's very own winery!) back in May and I couldn't get the taste of it off of my mind. When I saw the stand, I had to have a jar. They have many different types of jelly, but I prefer the hot ones! After a few tastes, I decided to go with the hottest one they had and I haven't regretted that decision. My husband and I both enjoy pairing the jelly with cream cheese and crackers for a late night snack. This snack is great with a glass of "Bourbon St. Jazz" wine, one of the products made at On Cloud Wine.
I also picked up a bag of the "HOT" jerkey from the Southern Yankee Jerkey stand. I had heard about SY Jerkey for a weeks and when I saw the stand, I just had to stop and sample the different varieties. I settled once again on the hottest they had to offer and the bag was gone in a few hours. I will be a repeat customer!
Even though I didn't stop for food this time, I would recommend checking out "The Cookie Chick." My sister and I once set up a booth at an arts market and "The Cookie Chick" (Carrie) set up her booth of home-made goodies right next to ours. I do believe I spent all of the money I made buying her amazing popped kettle corn, sugar cookies and peanut butter fudge. She's a definite stop the next time I go!
For parents bringing their children (as I did) I would offer a few suggestions. First, definitely bring a stroller! We forgot ours and had to herd our 2 year old through the crowd and hold her most of the time. This made it difficult to sample items and to hold bags. The crowd also makes it hard for a large stroller, so a small one would be better. For our three week old, I used a baby sling so that my hands would be free.
Other items I would suggest:
Umbrella
Blanket (for an impromptu picnic by the riverfront with some of your new goodies!)
Baby wipes (even if you don't bring your children you may want them to wipe your hands)
Sun-screen (if you plan on going to the riverfront afterwards)
After my experience, I'm ready to go again! I will be attending the Tuesday afternoon market to see what's different and to pick-up some more items.
