Farmers Market an enjoyable, friendly place to shop

In case you don’t know, we have a wonderful Farmers Market here in Bella Vista.

I spent part of my Sunday there on the first day of this week — the first of what I know will be many trips to the our Farmers Market — in the parking lot of Village Center on W. Lancashire Blvd.

Yes, it was a little windy. And yes, the shopping crowd may have been diminished with families opting to take mom out to eat and spend time with her on her special day, but shoppers did show up, purchases were made and items were added to wish lists for future visits.

OK, I can’t be sure on that last one. I know I started my wish list, I’m just not sure if others followed suit. But the wide variety of items being offered at the market surely caught the eye of those in attendance.

While the idea of “going shopping” has never been high on my list of things to do, going to Farmers Markets has risen up the charts for me over the past several years. I like to see what creative items and ideas people have come up with to make available to the public. I like to see what those with a green thumb have grown in their gardens, flower beds or greenhouses. I like to see how people have recycled materials into new products.

And you can see — and purchase — items from each of those categories at the Bella Vista Farmers Market.

The Farmers Market, which runs from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. each Sunday through October, is one of the only markets to operate on Sundays in northwest Arkansas, thus giving shoppers another day to shop such an event and vendors another day to sell their products.

According to the city’s website, “The city established this outdoor market in order to help promote community health and wellness, while also supporting local farmers, artists and small businesses. We offer a fun, family-friendly environment for some free weekend entertainment to foster a greater sense of community within Bella Vista, while providing products grown or made by local farmers and artists.”

Sunday there were little do-it-yourself kits for kids to take home and do-itthemselves. The project came with a small concrete flower, like a stone, and powdered paints for which to decorate the flower. All it cost was a donation to a nonprofit organization that was also set up at the market.

Credit organizer Samantha Mosher for working up ideas for kids attending the Farmers Market with their families. She is also working on other ideas that will hopefully spur attendance, add entertainment and make it an even more enjoyable place to gather and shop.

And visit. Sunday I spent most of my time talking with vendors about their merchandise — asking how their products were made, what was the inspiration for the products and how enjoyable it must be coming up with the finished product — and, of course, adding items to my Farmers Market Wish List.

I came away with a beautiful carved wooden heart for my daughter, some fresh lettuce (look at me going all farm to table!) and zucchini bread that barely survived the ride home it was that delicious.

There will be many more purchases in future forays to the Farmers Market. One gentleman produces decorative wooden bird houses as well as beautiful crosses made from wood salvaged from a barn destroyed in the Joplin tornado. There are all kinds of lavender products, handmade soaps, wooden walking staffs, pens and seam rippers, farm produce and even outfits for dolls made out of recycled material.

Several artists had their

creations for sale, including sun catchers made out of glass beads that beautifully reflect rays of sunshine, unique hand-painted abstract wall art (no two are alike) and handmade jams, jellies, sauces and salsas.

We will be featuring Farmers Market vendors throughout the summer, so I invite you to keep scouring the pages of The Weekly Vista to learn of their interesting stories. Until then, I recommend you head out to the Farmers Market to see and hear their stories live and in person. It’s an enjoyable experience.