There’s nothing that suits the summer vibes better than grabbing a basket and taking a trip to the local farmers market. More than just a great way to spend a beautiful evening, the Upper Arlington Farmers Market can be a one-stop shop for all the ingredients you need for dinner in place of a conventional grocery store. Not only are you shopping local, but many of the products come right from the vendors’ backyards.
The farmers market converges nearly 30 vendors each Wednesday, May 18-Oct. 26, from 4-7 p.m. to the Tremont Pool parking lot, 2850 Tremont Rd., rain or shine.
The UA Farmers Market plays host to such a wide range of vendors, it’s easy to source an entire meal from the market without stepping foot in a big box store. Fresh vegetables can be paired with meats or pasta, spices and sauces add flavor to any dish, and breads or desserts complete the meal.
Charles Payne, co-owner of Covey Rise Farms, says that he enjoys adding chicken raised from his farm to a salad for a fresh, seasonal meal.
Upper Arlington Farmers Market
Tremont Pool parking lot, 2850 Tremont Rd.
Wednesdays, May 18-Oct. 26
4-7 p.m.
“In the summertime, we’re usually running a mile a second and it’s usually hot,” Payne says. “We really like taking either our chicken breast or chicken tenders and marinating them and grilling them into making a homemade chicken Caesar salad.”
If you want to make the chicken the star of the meal, try a sauce or spice blend from Double Comfort to add some seasoning and flavor. Pair that with sweet corn or green beans from Darby Valley Farms to create the perfect summer barbecue meal. To wash it all down, try either the strawberry mint or blueberry lavender kombucha from LITT Kombucha.
Don’t forget to stop by Happy Belly Baker to add the cherry on top of a perfect meal. Robin Hayes, founder of Happy Belly Baker, recommends her take on a cosmic brownie or an oatmeal pie. Like many of the vendors, Hayes runs her business out of her home.
“It’s a good opportunity to not only get fresh produce and handmade items, whether it be food or, you know, other little trinkets that people come to farmers markets to sell,” she says. “But you’re also supporting local vendors.”
But the farmers market doesn’t just have to be a feast for the stomach. Top off your table with a beautiful centerpiece at Owl’s Nest Garden, where you can pick up a bouquet of flowers for the evening.
A Farmers Market Meal Plan:
- Bread from Crust x Crumb Bakehouse
- Kombucha from LITT Kombucha
- Vegetables and produce from Darby Valley Farms
- Sauce from Double Comfort
- Chicken from Covey Rise Farms
- Flowers from Owl’s Nest Garden
- Cosmic brownies or oatmeal pies from Happy Belly Baker
Anastasia Carter is an editorial assistant. Feedback welcome at
