Yesterday I decided to take the kids, after school, to the farmers’ market held by the next town over. It’s every Wednesday from 4-7 pm but I had never been to it. I was making spaghetti for dinner and I wanted to get some Italian bread.

It was a nice time. We ended up spending $8.50 for homemade ice cream and cupcakes, $6 for a package of tomato bread from the local Italian specialty shop’s booth (mmm, so good), and $2 on a soft pretzel (rip-off).

I rate the trip a 5 for frugality, a 7 for green living, and a 10 for support of downtown/local businesses. (Disclaimer: I have no method to my rating system.) I think the kids would rate it a 10, and not just for the unexpected treats. A flower vendor gave my daughter a beautiful white peony. A guy was playing guitar/harmonica and there were plenty of tables to sit at and other kids running around. There were about 20 vendors, maybe more. It’s a nice alternative to the Saturday morning farmers’ market in my own town, which is bigger, way more crowded, and kind of frenzied.

I’d like to go back sometime for dinner, because they had a diner-theme food truck there, a booth selling tasty-looking homemade empanadas, and some other food offerings that I didn’t get a close look at. In addition to all the fruits and veggies for sale. Which I will buy next time instead of ice cream…