For a change of pace, consider going to a multi-vendor seasonal farmers market. There you can learn a lot. For example, you can buy a share of a farmer’s crop in the beginning of the season and pick up a box of fresh organic produce weekly. You can talk to real people, not Betty Crocker or the Dough Boy. You walk out with locally grown or produced foods that taste and smell delicious.
There are several farm markets within a 30-minute drive of the Hillcrest area. Each one has different vendors and different times. Go every week to get the pick of the crop. What is in season one week may be gone the next.
Lake Metroparks Farmpark Farmers Market is great for a mid-week perk. Fresh fruits, vegetables, flowers and local honey are all part of the attraction. It is open Wednesdays from 3-6 p.m. at 8800 Euclid Chardon Road in Willoughby.
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Mentor also has a farm market with lots of fresh produce. This weekly market includes arts and crafts, soaps and jewelry along with edibles. It will be open Fridays starting July 30 and runs through August 20. The hours are from 4-8 p.m. Mentor’s Old Village Market is at 8500 Civic Center Blvd. in Mentor.
If you put off shopping until the weekend, then travel a bit farther south to Chagrin Falls. On Sundays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. there is a beautiful market. It is set against the backdrop of little boutiques and the Chagrin River. Many restaurants open early and put out tables for your apre-market experience. This market is open through Oct. 23, and is located downtown Chagrin Falls. Many of the vendors here also participate in other North Union venues. For more information, visit www.northunionfarmersmarket.org.