Farmer’s market brings the flavors of fall
Pumpkins at the farmers market Sept. 14, 2021.
September 19, 2021
The wind is beginning to pick up and become chillier. Look up and you will see the trees begin to change their colors. Fall is here and with it, comes an arrangement of fall goodies! You may be distressed at where to find these goodies, but distress not. Whitewater has your back with their weekly farmers market! Every Tuesday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays 8 a.m. until 12 p.m. you will see upbeat vendors ready and waiting to deliver you some of the freshest produce in Whitewater.
If your mouth is watering for some crispy apple chips or you’re parched and crave nothing more than some apple cider then you are in luck, as one booth in particular has an apple-tastic stand for you.
“I have been coming around -well- I guess since they started the market. There’s not one thing about the market I don’t love. The vendors, the food, the people, customers making an effort to come out. It just makes autumn so interesting and beautiful because everyone else has something else unique that they bring with their own skills and these are something mother nature brings,” said apple vendor, Tarisa Quednow. “We make our apple cider in a facility and it is processed with UV light. We grow 95 varieties of apples. Most are heirloom varieties, we have Honeycrisp, Zeststar, and also pears. In the summer we’ll have our peaches and cherries. Right now we are doing our fall selection full of apples.”
Apples aren’t the only gift of nature passing through our lips this fall, as pumpkins are here and ready to be carved up! Whether they will be used for Jack-o-Lanterns or pumpkin pies is anyone’s business but one thing is for sure, is that you do not have to go far to find some.
“I have been here for 15 years selling my pumpkins. I have regulars who come often to get my produce and I know almost all the vendors here. I have pie pumpkins here, which you can use to make a homemade pie out of them. I have a variety of pumpkins, blue jarrah dale, Cinderella’s, one too many stuffleheads, and white pumpkins. I also have squash, gourds, and Indian corn.” Said vendor, Stephanie White.
The Whitewater farmer’s market is a staple for the community but also brings in out-of-towners to come and enjoy the buzzing atmosphere.
“I like to visit farmers’ markets as often as I can. I really don’t know anything about them so I usually don’t know where any are. When I am driving around I will drop everything to go and see one. This is only my second time in Whitewater as I am visiting my friend. She thought there was one today so we were driving around and when we saw it we thought we’d swing by. We picked up two gourds. I thought this was a tiny pumpkin but it’s actually a gourd.” Said satisfied customer, Nahian Saeed.
Produce isn’t the only goodie to be found at the farmers market. There are also fall scented soaps, baby Yoda holding jack-o-lantern figurines and beautifully arranged flowers full of orange, yellows and reds.
“In general I have been going to famer’s markets for about twenty years. I have come to this market just a couple of times. I came this year as kind of a new experience for me selling the flowers. I used to sell vegetables and such but this year is new with the flowers. Their theme is mostly lots of colors with the zinnia’s and a fall element with the sunflowers.” Said flower vendor, Mary Ann Mundt.
Yes, Autumn is the perfect season to go and participate in the purchasing of reasonably priced produce that is sure to set your tongue ablaze with flavor. Remember, a pumpkin a day keeps the goblins away!
