Hamilton County now has its first Winters Farmers Market in Carmel. Open Saturday mornings, the new indoor market tucked away behind shops at Carmel City Center, not far off of U.S. 31 in Carme,l could grow into something great.
Still a small market, it had a friendly atmosphere yet still room for me and my children to move around, something that's a growing challenge in the ever-packed Indianapolis Winter Market downtown. So I was excited to make the drive to check out a new market and explore options last Saturday. And if I hadn't been running errands on a warm Saturday morning, I would have grabbed some meats as well.
This time of year, you expect fewer and fewer produce offerings and more produced items, which was the case here. I had great conversations with a Mennonite farmer as I perused the lettuces, broccoli and brussels sprouts, all cold-weather crops. My kids eyeballed the apples from the fall harvest and slurped up tea samples from a Carmel tea company.
And if you're looking for holiday treats, you wouldn't be disappointed. Greek vendors, a chocolatier from Spirit of Chocolate in Shelbyville, and holiday desserts abounded.
The Winter Market at Carmel City Center is open 9 a.m. to noon Saturdays through March 17 (with the exception of Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve). The Winter Market will be held in a storefront at 719 Hanover Place on the interior of Carmel City Center, on the southwest corner of City Center Drive and Rangeline Road. Follow the signs for parking.
Showing posts with label winter markets. Show all posts
Showing posts with label winter markets. Show all posts
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Friday, February 18, 2011
One Winter Market Down in Indy
Disappointed to learn on their Facebook page that the Indy Winter's Eve Market that was taking place Thursday evenings downtown has shut down due to lack of traffic.
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Indy winter markets coming soon!
Sadly, our favorite local market closes this weekend. The good news is alternatives will be open soon.
Here are a few Indianapolis and Bloomington-area winter markets opening up:
The Indianapolis Winter Farmers Market is moving this year to The Maxwell, 530 East Ohio St. It will be open Satrudays beginning Nov. 13 through April 30. Hours are 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
The Traders Point Creamery Winter Green Market opens Nov. 6 through April, from 9 a.m. to noon on the northwest side of Indy, near Zionsville.
The Bloomington Winter Farmers Market is back at Harmony School Gym. Dates are Satrudays, Dec. 4 to March 29, from 9 a.m. to noon.
Happy shopping!
Here are a few Indianapolis and Bloomington-area winter markets opening up:
The Indianapolis Winter Farmers Market is moving this year to The Maxwell, 530 East Ohio St. It will be open Satrudays beginning Nov. 13 through April 30. Hours are 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
The Traders Point Creamery Winter Green Market opens Nov. 6 through April, from 9 a.m. to noon on the northwest side of Indy, near Zionsville.
The Bloomington Winter Farmers Market is back at Harmony School Gym. Dates are Satrudays, Dec. 4 to March 29, from 9 a.m. to noon.
Happy shopping!
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Bloomington Winter Market
It may techincally be spring, but winter markets are in full swing. If you're missing your springtime fix of plant starts and produce, look no further!
A few weeks ago, we finally had the chance to check out the Bloomington Winter Market . If you've ever had visions of a winter market being baked goods and canned veggies from the previous fall, think again.
We were impressed with the variety we found. Plant starts - something I'd written off in Indiana as being unavailable until Mother's Day. Produce. Eggs and cheeses. Herbal teas and yarn. Even salmon, our big splurge for the weekend.
The Bloomington Winter Market is smaller than the one in downtown Indy but worth the drive if you're looking for something a little less crowded. This is the last weekend for Bloomington; it's open until noon at Harmony School. If you're headed south this weekend, check it out!
A few weeks ago, we finally had the chance to check out the Bloomington Winter Market . If you've ever had visions of a winter market being baked goods and canned veggies from the previous fall, think again.
We were impressed with the variety we found. Plant starts - something I'd written off in Indiana as being unavailable until Mother's Day. Produce. Eggs and cheeses. Herbal teas and yarn. Even salmon, our big splurge for the weekend.
The Bloomington Winter Market is smaller than the one in downtown Indy but worth the drive if you're looking for something a little less crowded. This is the last weekend for Bloomington; it's open until noon at Harmony School. If you're headed south this weekend, check it out!
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Bloomington Winter Market opens this weekend
The Bloomington Winter Farmers Market opens this Saturday and runs through March 26. Hours are 9 a.m. to noon Saturdays. It's being held at the Harmony School Gymnasium located at 909 E. 2nd Street in Bloomington.
The site promises a wide variety of meats and produce - including onions, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, lettuce, arugula, kale, chard, spinach, mustard greens, watercress, potatoes, winter squash, sweet potatoes, apples and herbs. In other words, don't think that just because it's January you're doomed to eat canned or frozen veggies.
I'd love to hear from anyone who's checked out this market in the past. Is it worth the drive?
The site promises a wide variety of meats and produce - including onions, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, lettuce, arugula, kale, chard, spinach, mustard greens, watercress, potatoes, winter squash, sweet potatoes, apples and herbs. In other words, don't think that just because it's January you're doomed to eat canned or frozen veggies.
I'd love to hear from anyone who's checked out this market in the past. Is it worth the drive?
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Seasonal shopping still in full swing
Winters markets are hot, even when it's brutally cold outdoors.
We hit the first farmers market of 2010 last weekend, and remained pleasantly surprised by what we found at the Indianapolis Winter Market. The building was packed with vendors and shoppers alike, even as the shopping hours came to a close. (So busy, in fact, the Star reported Sunday that the market's averaging 1,500 visitors in its second season!)
We came home with a bagful of apples, a huge glass jar of honey, seed packets (for those dreams of warmer weather someday) and more. We checked out apalca yarn, tasted freshly toasted marshmellows and would have lingered longer had the little guy hadn't had an unfortunate event outside.
Winter markets are definitely worth checking out. It's a great alternative for seasonal shopping, and one small way to beat the winter blues. If you're living around Indy, you have quite a few options--and they're growing every year:
We hit the first farmers market of 2010 last weekend, and remained pleasantly surprised by what we found at the Indianapolis Winter Market. The building was packed with vendors and shoppers alike, even as the shopping hours came to a close. (So busy, in fact, the Star reported Sunday that the market's averaging 1,500 visitors in its second season!)
We came home with a bagful of apples, a huge glass jar of honey, seed packets (for those dreams of warmer weather someday) and more. We checked out apalca yarn, tasted freshly toasted marshmellows and would have lingered longer had the little guy hadn't had an unfortunate event outside.
Winter markets are definitely worth checking out. It's a great alternative for seasonal shopping, and one small way to beat the winter blues. If you're living around Indy, you have quite a few options--and they're growing every year:
- Indianapolis Winter Farmers Market, (downtown Indy)
- Bloomington Winter Farmers Market
- Hancock County Winter Market,
- Hummel Park in Plainfield
- Pendleton Winter Farmers Market
- Traders Point Winter Green Market, (northeast Indy, technically Zionsville)
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Three-season sustainability
The close of farmers markets in the fall always made me a little disappointed. The end of sweet corn and cherry-red tomatoes meant I was destined for months of bland food: tasteless iceberg lettuce, white potatoes and button mushrooms from the supermarket.
But the last few years, I've learned that eating a little more seasonally is not only possible, but I can do it and support the little guys down the road. Fresh from an attempt of a season with a CSA and an experiment with attending winter farmers markets, I'm slowly learning that you can enjoy good, local produce in Indiana at least three seasons of the year.
My first few attempts at visiting winter markets were a bit disappointing. Without the budget to buy grass-fed beef or fresh breads and a little worried about buying jars of pickled produce, I wasn't quite enthused about that time of year.
But this season in particular, I've been pleasantly surprised. The local markets, seeing interest from visitors and vendors alike, are extending their seasons until late October and into November. Our winter farmers market has seen such success that in its second year, it moved to a new location. And I was pleasantly surprised this weekend to be able to buy freshly picked broccoli and bok choy (which we've grown to love), shitake mushrooms (organic - and cheaper than at the grocery store!), hard-necked garlic, permisson (something new for all of us) and more. Box after box of apples, squashes and more provided clues of what would be available in weeks to come.
And this fall, encouraged by an online four-season gardening class I took, we dived in and planted a fall batch of argula, spinach, carrots, radishes, peas and garlic. Granted, growing is a little slow -- I confess that I forgot about it for a time! -- but it's a fun experiment nonetheless. My kids are thrilled to grab carrots out of our backyard, though they're not quite sure what to make of the dirt that comes with it (compared with the perfectly washed and sized baby carrots at the store). As our finances improve and my confidence grows, I'm looking forward to putting more of the information I gained to good use, hopefully being able to grow year-round in our little beds.
The thing is, when you buy something that's fresh - or even better, pick it from your backyard - it's much more enjoyable on the plate. Now, if I can only find that solution for that desolate period between New Year's and the first market openings in May!
This is my contribution for the November APLS carnival on Sustainable Living & You. You can read a wrap-up of these articles on Greening Families on Nov. 18.
But the last few years, I've learned that eating a little more seasonally is not only possible, but I can do it and support the little guys down the road. Fresh from an attempt of a season with a CSA and an experiment with attending winter farmers markets, I'm slowly learning that you can enjoy good, local produce in Indiana at least three seasons of the year.
My first few attempts at visiting winter markets were a bit disappointing. Without the budget to buy grass-fed beef or fresh breads and a little worried about buying jars of pickled produce, I wasn't quite enthused about that time of year.
But this season in particular, I've been pleasantly surprised. The local markets, seeing interest from visitors and vendors alike, are extending their seasons until late October and into November. Our winter farmers market has seen such success that in its second year, it moved to a new location. And I was pleasantly surprised this weekend to be able to buy freshly picked broccoli and bok choy (which we've grown to love), shitake mushrooms (organic - and cheaper than at the grocery store!), hard-necked garlic, permisson (something new for all of us) and more. Box after box of apples, squashes and more provided clues of what would be available in weeks to come.
And this fall, encouraged by an online four-season gardening class I took, we dived in and planted a fall batch of argula, spinach, carrots, radishes, peas and garlic. Granted, growing is a little slow -- I confess that I forgot about it for a time! -- but it's a fun experiment nonetheless. My kids are thrilled to grab carrots out of our backyard, though they're not quite sure what to make of the dirt that comes with it (compared with the perfectly washed and sized baby carrots at the store). As our finances improve and my confidence grows, I'm looking forward to putting more of the information I gained to good use, hopefully being able to grow year-round in our little beds.
The thing is, when you buy something that's fresh - or even better, pick it from your backyard - it's much more enjoyable on the plate. Now, if I can only find that solution for that desolate period between New Year's and the first market openings in May!
This is my contribution for the November APLS carnival on Sustainable Living & You. You can read a wrap-up of these articles on Greening Families on Nov. 18.
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