Making the Most of the Last Day of the Downtown Farmers' Market

Today was the last day of the Downtown Farmers’ Market, so we had to take advantage of all things that we love about the market – which is A LOT. 

Because it was on the colder side, we of course started our morning off at Java Joe’s to grab a cup of liquid warmth as we plotted our course for the rest of the morning.  My coffee made me so happy as it was served with a little bit-o-love.

Our typical Saturday morning Farmer’s Market plan starts with going to our “usual” vendors, but this morning we did not have any sports we had to rush to so we were able to just stroll and take in all of the fun that sometimes we miss.

And because we had the time, I let the kids lead us through The Market and take pictures of all of the things that they thought were “really cool”.  

Our first stop was at Flocks and Feathers to take a super cute pic with an emu…  At first I was leery, but then saw that it was indeed a stuffed one, so all was good.

We then did a B-line to pose with the “alien” at Grade A Gardens which was good because I was able to grab some produce to make my roasted fall carrots for dinner.  Finally, a purchase had been made!

 

 

 

 

 

 As we continued to make our way through The Market we saw these awesome mushrooms – I have never seen anything quite like these.  It’s a great reminder that you can find so many new foods to try at The Market.  

The bags are starting to fill up, but we cannot pass up getting some love from the Doughnut Man…

Now for a good dessert.  There were sooo many choices that not all of us could agree on.  One wanted pie, one wanted chocolate, I wanted cinnamon something, but we agreed on chocolate-dipped angel food cake and cherry pie from Mast Family Farms.

The kiddos were starting to wind down but perked up when they saw this at the UnityPoint Health – Des Moines booth.  Balance is definitely something we can work on.  While there we saw some friends from school, so we stayed, colored pumpkins and we were back in business.

On the way out, we realized that we might need another pumpkin for Halloween and sure enough, we found the perfect one!

It was seriously an absolutely perfect Saturday at The Market.  I thought that I’d hear whining and complaining from the cold weather, but I was completely wrong.  I forgot just how much there is to do at The Market when you have no real agenda and you can just take it all in.  While I will miss my Saturday Downtown Farmers’ Market, I cannot wait for The Winter Market to open and get into the Holiday spirit.

Now back to those roasted carrots:

Honey Roasted Carrots

Ingredients

2 pounds small or medium carrots, peeled (about 3 inches long - can also use regular carrots cut to 3" pieces).  Using different colored carrots makes the dish more interesting and colorful!

• 2 tablespoons grape seed or olive oil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried or 1 tablespoon fresh chopped thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried or 1 tablespoon fresh chopped oregano
• 3 tablespoons honey

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil for easier clean up. If using foil, be sure to coat the foil with cooking spray.
• Place carrots in a Ziploc bag that closes.
• Add in oil, spices and honey to the bag/carrots. Seal/close the bag and shake it to coat the carrots evenly.
• Lime carrots in a single layer on your baking sheet.
• Roast in preheated oven for 25-35 minutes or until carrots are tender and browned, tossing once in between. Cooking time varies depending on size of carrots.
• Remove from oven and serve warm.

From May to October, find your handful of happiness at the Downtown Farmers’ Market featuring nearly 300 family farmers, bakers, artists and crafters from around the state. To learn more, click here.