It is a beautiful, fall, Saturday morning in my hometown of Richmond, Virginia. Specifically, I live in the small town of Ashland just 20 minutes outside the city, and growing up, my family and I would often visit our local farmers market. The market is open from 9am to 12pm, so as soon as I wake up, I get dressed, and together the five of us walk approximately five minutes from my house to the end of the street, where “downtown” Ashland is located. The farmers markets sits in a parking lot in close proximity to the train tracks that pass directly through town, where local shops and restaurants line either side.
It is a relatively small market, with only about 10 to 15 vendors or so, but attending it is one of my favorite activities my family and I do together. Upon arriving, my sister and I always make a beeline for the tent that features various artisan breads and homemade soaps, taking in their scents and then proceeding to beg my parents to let us buy some. My parents almost immediately run into friends and other people we know from places like school, to recreational sports teams, to fellow church parishioners, to many other connections within the community. We survey the other vendors, and each greets us with a smile and a “how are you doing today,” and educating us about their products when we ask.
After we finish up shopping and socializing at the market, my parents walk a block or so to a local shop to get a cup of coffee, while my brother, sister, and I head across the train tracks to our favorite local grocery store, Cross Brothers, to get some ice cream (even though we haven’t eaten lunch yet!). We then rendezvous with my parents back at the market and head back home, a morning well spent with family, getting to appreciate the community that we live in.
Here’s what others in the community have to say about the Ashland Farmers Market:
Farmers Markets and Cities 