October 18th 2025 Farmers Market

Market Review Oct. 11

By Paul Bullock & Mary Gates

Summer has slipped away once more, and we find ourselves in the final two weeks of our Market. The cool mornings are nice and calm as we set up our canopies. It was Homecoming weekend for our Texas Tech Red Raiders and often we will have shoppers who are here to visit the campus and attend the football game. That was the case this weekend and we had several folks here specifically for Homecoming. A group from Charleston, South Carolina stopped by my booth and we had a great conversation. Another family of four were at the Market and excited to be here for the celebration. These folks helped to bolster our numbers and we are grateful for all the out of towners who stopped by. Of course our regulars showed up as usual and we tip our hats to those loyal supporters.

We added a couple of new vendors. They were both trying their hand at vending for the very first time. We had a salsa maker and a backyard farmer testing the waters, and we hope they both enjoyed their experience with our Market. We know that vending can be a life changing event if the experience is good. The foot traffic started slow, but about 30 minutes into the morning the flow of shoppers began to pick up and it was pretty steady all morning. We watch as the crowd ebbs and flows and the morning passes into afternoon. Our vendors enjoy the opportunity to chat with all the different folks that stop by. It is what we all love about doing the Market.

We are still happy to offer really great produce that is being harvested right out of locally owned fields. Our farmers offer fresh fruits and vegetables that end up on our dinner tables. It is a great thing that our Market is very proud of. Every week this summer our growers have worked hard and have supplied us with an incredible variety of produce to choose from. With one more Market left you still have an opportunity to support these local producers. Come pick up some tomatoes, eggplant, okra, squash, onions. Maybe it’s time to do some canning or freezing, so don’t miss this chance to stock up on some fresh food.

We are also a great place to shop for the coming Holiday season. We have quite an assortment of gift ideas for young and old, like handcrafted art and jewelry. We have plushies and wonderful crocheted items. There is nothing better than locally handmade gifts to wrap up for Christmas.

We never have to worry about presenting our weekly Tornado Industrial/Arts Dog of the Day! We have lots of eager participants vying for the coveted Red Bandana that declares them the winner! Savanah was not bashful and made a impassioned plea, so of course we are happy to congratulate Savanah on taking home the prize. We have one more Market and we will be moving across the street to the Charles Adams Studio Project parking lot at 5^th and Ave. J as we surrender our normal area to the Annual Hub City Renaissance Faire sponsored by LHUCA. So come out and take a look around our Market before you attend the Renaissance Faire!

FEATUERD VENDOR: GRUBB’S SALSA

Be sure to stop by and greet our new vendor Jonathan Wells with GRUBB’S SALSA! He was asked by his sister about a year ago to create a salsa for her. He went to work and came up with his own unique recipe. With roasted tomatoes, peppers, and garlic, the salsa has great depth of flavor. He adds onion, cilantro, and lime for tang, and salt for zest. Currently there is one original recipe, but there are hopes to create spicier and milder versions in the near future. This is a new venture, so please give your support. He may also be visited at www.GrubbsGourmet.com.

Thank you to everyone who visited the market and we look forward to seeing you next week at our final market of the 2025 season.