There’s a very special place in my heart reserved for the Charlottesville farmers’ market — to the right of the spot for Christmas decorations and above the spot for eating Pringles five at a time. In all my years, I have yet to find something that better motivates me to get out of bed on a Saturday morning. Even a bacon alarm clock that wafts meat odor could not compare to knowing a bounty of local food and happy times awaits. Here are some of the reasons why the Charlottesville farmers’ market is, quite possibly, the greatest thing about U.Va.
To my knowledge, the farmers’ market is the only place you can get tacos at 7 a.m. There is never a bad time for tacos. There’s nothing more important than a family working hard to bring people pure deliciousness wrapped inside a homemade tortilla.
Moving on to cheese samples, it’s almost too good to be true that someone would give out tasty queso for free. You can't help but pinch yourself and squeeze your eyelids together really hard to ensure it is, in fact, not a dream. Pro tip: if you bring a sweater and some sunglasses, you can disguise yourself and make several rounds to the cheese booths and eat cheese to your heart’s content. Or you could just buy the cheese.
Another wonderful aspect of the farmers’ market is that you can find some of the most bizarre foods you never knew existed. Romanesco? Sure, why not? Kohlrabi? Sign me up. Cantalafoof? I made the last one up, but I bet you would have never known this isn’t a real food considering the unique variety at the farmers’ market.
The farmers’ market also has some of the prettiest flower arrangements for ridiculously reasonable prices. These are perfect for college students who are on a budget but need something to put in their disheveled apartments to distract from the literal hole some drunk frat guy punched in the wall. “Yo bro, dare me to punch this wall? You don’t think I’ll do it?” — boom. This scenario may or may not be based on a true story.
At the farmers’ market, there’s also Candle Man. His real name is Robert Wade, and his company is Capital City Candles. I am his company’s self-proclaimed campus ambassador. In my room, there are three of his candles, in my apartment, there are around seven and between my family and friends, the number must be nearing 100. Everyone I know is at some point dragged to his table and entranced by the soothing scents of this candle wizard. Going to his table every Saturday is the only time of the week I can pretend to know something about anything — “Oh, I can definitely smell the lemongrass in this one.”
The day of the farmers’ market, Saturday, is for gorging and there’s no better way to do so than buy a loaf of cinnamon chip bread to accompany your breakfast tacos. If you ever want to see a truly awe-inspiring feat, come to my apartment at noon on a Saturday and watch me devour an entire loaf of cinnamon chip bread in less than an hour.
Last but not least, the farmers’ market offers local food and artisan products brought to you by wonderful vendors. Not only is everything you buy guilt-free, but the people selling are some of the sweetest vendors you will ever meet. They are more than eager to tell you all about the eggplant you are buying, its happy life on the farm and its father Larry, who unfortunately couldn’t make it today.
Avery’s column runs biweekly Wednesdays. She can be reached at a.moyler@cavalierdaily.com.
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