In it's 5th season, the Tremont Farmers Market has been a little haven of goodness for us on Tuesdays. From 4-7pm, growers and artisans from all backgrounds come to share their passions with those fortunate enough to show up. We've found ourselves putting down the pipettes and hurrying home to assemble our dinner into a picnic in time to take in the sights, listen to the live music, and enjoy our locally grown food in Lincoln Park. It's such a delight to see families with their kids and pets milling around, impromptu games of duck-duck-goose, and...a community (and city) coming together over local goods. I know, the "local" movement has been gaining legs these past few years, but as someone not born/raised in CLE, I can't help but be amazed at how much of an emphasis there is on being green / supporting local business here. I also can't help but think of the amazing potential CLE has to become a truly green and locally supported city. Where else do you have the ability to incorporate new businesses (in terms of land / available spaces even downtown), such a dense and rich agricultural community within a short drive, a community hungering for local products, and well, a city that needs to reinvent itself? I've found myself becoming more and more invested into my neighborhood and city (perhaps it's the food?), and concerned about it's well being and growth. I'm just hoping the future of this city doesn't follow the track record of CLE sports teams and leave me heartbroken. But i digress.
Back to the farmers market. The sunshiny personality radiating from the from the Lucky Penny Farm Creamery stand on this overcast day were inescapable, so we had to take a closer look. We were immediately drawn to the soaps (the smells were amazing), and decided we had to buy a few. A family owned and run goat farm (with several varieties of goats), they recently just started selling their artisan goat cheese , and had a few to sample. Hole..eee..smokes. Both the Chevre and Feta were amazing. You have to check them out (they are also involved in a summer lecture series showcasing different foods, cooking tips, and other culinary treats).