I love a good farmer’s market experience. It’s enticing, pacing slowly from stall to stall, inspecting every fresh vegetable on display, sniffing the all-natural soaps and lotions and candles, and picking out the tastiest-sounding pastry you can find. I had high expectations for the Rocky Mount Farmer’s Market, and when Caroline and I pulled into the parking lot overlooking every vendor, I knew my expectations would be met.
From the first step in, Caroline and I were overwhelmed by how many things there were to buy. Within seconds, we were scanning the first table, a spice and vegetable stall. The vendor started listing off which products of hers were customer favorites, but I got distracted by the bookshelf display she had full of different kinds of pickles. Before going in, though, I decided to look at everything available in the farmer’s market before buying things. We took a few more steps into the crowd, taking our time to look at the recently-harvested produce laying across tables, reading signs that listed cuts of meat available, and stopping to sniff each of the dozen candles lined up from one vendor.
As we wove through the lines of vendors and tables, we realized that the market wasn’t just a farmer’s market, but an artisan craft fair too. There were booths selling handmade jewelry, customized towels and tote bags, and one-of-a-kind art pieces. Caroline and I savored each moment of our exploration, and the sellers were happy, too. Vendors told us about why they started making and selling their products, and it was amazing to hear about how passionate they were.
Several of the vendors were also thrilled to hear about our journey on Highway 64. A vendor from one booth in particular, the Koi Pond Brewing Company, said that a lot of the foot traffic the farmer’s market gets each weekend is from visitors traveling along Highway 64. Businesses like Koi Pond Brewing can use the farmer’s market as a way to share their products because so many people who buy aren’t local.
After spending some time talking to the man at the Koi Pond stall about the brewery’s beers, I decided to purchase a few since I was twenty-one. I made a mixed four-pack, choosing two of the brewery’s most popular beers, one with an eclectic mix of fruit flavors and one because the art on the can was beautiful. Each one was fresh and crisp, and I considered making the two-hour drive another Saturday just to get another four brews because it would be worth it.
Caroline and I wandered around more, stopping to talk to a few more vendors and buying things that caught our eyes. We walked back to the car, hands full of our purchases and smiles on our faces. It was a great farmer’s market, and we were glad to be taking pieces of it home with us.
The Rocky Mount Farmer’s Market captures a snapshot of some of the best of the city’s local businesses and artists. If you’re passing through Rocky Mount or want to explore some of North Carolina’s best markets, make sure to stop by on Saturday mornings!
--Gayatri Chopra