Fresh times at the Showers

When I woke up last Saturday morning I thought it would just be another day of curing a hangover and wasting the morning watching “Kids in the Hall” reruns on Netflix.
Instead I was introduced to another oasis in this town: the Bloomington Farmers’ Market. The market is held every Saturday morning in the Showers parking lot close to downtown. It’s truly a gem.

I spent the better part of an hour walking through kiosks of beautiful fresh produce, smelling the delicious aroma of fresh brewed coffee.

As I walked through the stands with friends, buying vegetables for the week, I couldn’t help but smile at how inviting a place we were in.

Everyone from toddlers to the toothless were smiling while mulling over the weeks’ harvest. However, it wasn’t just grocery shopping that made my experience at the Farmers’ Market so memorable.

With all of the produce stands stood a simple tent with just a few coolers and a grill underneath.  The unassuming stand was the home of Happy Pig. The vendor, who bases his menu on the other white meat, had a menu item properly named the “Notorious P.I.G.”

With a base of wheat toast topped with perfectly crisped pork belly, a sunny side up egg and maple syrup over it all, this sandwich is not for the faint hearted.

Sitting at the park bench enjoying my sandwich and soaking up the sun, I couldn’t help but think every town needs a weekly gathering like this. It is a great community-building tool, helps support local farmers and is a great place to enjoy a beautiful morning.

If I didn’t have local friends,I probably would have never found out about the Farmers’ Market. The City of Bloomington should put more effort into promoting these sort of community gatherings to students and citizens alike.

While there was a pretty large turnout, there is definitely room for growth. It was great to get to know another staple of Bloomington that mostly local citizens participate in. I can’t wait to go next week and enjoy another morning with friends.

I encourage all people who have not previously been to the Farmers’ Market to go ahead and give it a try.

It is definitely a refreshing change from the cold shelves of Walmart. You also might just be able to get your hands on the “Notorious P.I.G.”

­— ogwise@indiana.edu