When I was a kid, I got taken to the Little Rock Farmers Market in Downtown Little Rock now and then. I didn’t mind going; it was something interesting to do on the weekend. However, it was nothing but produce being sold on a parking lot, and like most kids I wasn’t very much into vegetables. Fresh green beans didn’t interest me nearly as much as a trip to Pizza Hut.
Yesterday I got up a bit earlier than usual and walked down to the Memphis Farmers Market, which is held every Saturday from April to October at Front and G.E. Patterson. I’m not a morning person, and I don’t cook, so I don’t go there that often. However, every time I do go, I’m reminded what a tremendous asset it is for Downtown Memphis. Unlike the Little Rock Farmers Market of the late ’70s/early ’80s, the Memphis Farmers Market is so much more than just produce. I walked around and made a list of what you can buy at MFM other than fruits and vegetables.
Meat
Fresh flowers
Jellies/jams/preserves
Cookies
Muffin mix
Dog treats
Pottery
Glass work
Nuts
Bread
Lotion
Soaps
Seafood
Hot sauce
Pies
Metal work
Salsa
Coffee
Juice
Cheese
Cakes
Pastries
Soups
Salads
Bird houses
Popsicles
Plants including fruit and tomato plants
There were also four food trucks: Fuel, Rock ‘n Dough, Stickem, and the juice truck (can’t remember its name). I wish I’d walked down there 30 minutes earlier so I’d have had time to eat. I probably would have chosen the bison tacos from Fuel, which are delicious.
Felicia from Felicia Suzanne’s was giving a cooking demo and attracted a huge crowd. I let people who might actually try to follow her recipe have room, because let’s face it, “microwave for 3 minutes and 30 seconds” is the extent of my cooking skills.
I didn’t have enough time to eat, but I had a few extra minutes to spend, so I wandered to the northwestern end of the market grounds, where
Streetdog Foundation was set up. Not being a pet owner myself, I probably haven’t given this awesome organization the attention it deserves in my blog. As the name suggests, the organization rescues dogs who would most likely otherwise die on the street and gets them adopted. You can view dogs to adopt
here.
What I did not know, however, is that Streetdog offers opportunities to foster dogs for an afternoon, overnight, or for a weekend. This gets the dogs some human companionship and time not spent in a cage. It’s perfect for people who want some canine companionship in their lives but can’t commit to permanent ownership for whatever reason. It would also be good if you’re considering becoming a dog owner but are not sure, and want to take a test drive. Your feedback helps Streetdog Foundation too: Is the dog sociable with humans? Is the dog good with other dogs? With cats? Your feedback from fostering helps the foundation find the right permanent home for the dog. You can fill out the application for fostering
here, with no obligation. “Other organizations, when you foster dogs, they’re pretty much hands-off. We’re with you every step of the way,” I was told.
(Reminds me – I have a story about the Memphis Animal Shelter. I want to keep this post positive so I’m not going to go into it here. Remind me to post it early next week though. Let’s just say it is not a story that will give you a warm fuzzy feeling inside.)
If you’ve never paid a visit to the Memphis Farmers Market, it is well worth the trip, even if you have to drive from Midtown or East Memphis or the burbs. So much more than just fruits and veggies. I hope to go back soon and make a longer stay of it.