Our Trip to Gervasi's Farmer's Market

Two weeks ago was the opening of Gervasi's Farmer's Market and I couldn't go because it was the night of Ellie's dance rehearsal for her recital.  So this week we finally made it!  Whenever I go to the Canton farmer's market I can never get myself up and there for opening, so things are always kind of picked over when I get there.  So I was determined to get there right at opening, 4:00.  I made it there by 4:15...not bad in Melissa-time.  It was about what I was expecting, except for the clientele. 
As we were getting out to the car I noticed that there were lots of women in dresses--just generally more dressed up than I thought I would see at a farmer's market.  These people were clearly not here to grocery shop, like I was.  (I will say that I was wearing my maternity uniform of a skirt and tank top and as I was telling my husband, Evan, this at dinner, Ellie piped up with "I was wearing a dress!"  so I guess we were kind of dressed up too.)  It was the Gervasi crowd so I guess I would expect it to be a little classier than say, the Stark County Fair. 
The atmosphere was very provincial and laid back.  If you've never been to Gervasi Vineyard, it's located on a beautiful piece of property with authentic looking Tuscan buildings a pond, and a little waterfall, as we discovered yesterday. The market is laid out along a brick path, which made it easier to browse each stand. 
I went there to buy my produce from Breezy Hill Farm and they did not disappoint!  Their stand was beautifully displayed.  The snap peas and snow peas were in woven baskets, the bunches of carrots and beets were tied with twine.  We bought the second to last bunch of carrots (rainbow colored, I might add!) and I heard her say that the last few pints and quart baskets of peas that they had out were all they had left so I'm would say everyone else there was just as pleased with their produce.  I bought the rainbow carrots, beets, sugar snap peas, and kale.  The sugar snap peas were AWESOME!  I'm planning to take them to the pool with us today to eat!  (Another healthy pool snack idea!)  I also bought some blueberries at another stand and I'll be taking those, what's left, to the pool today as well. 
The other venders that were there were grass-fed beef, which I plan on taking advantage of next week for Evan, gourmet lollipops (the kids favorite) chocolates (we hurried past this one since we just got lollipops), beeswax products, and soaps and that's all I got to see before we had to leave. I saw on their list of vendors that Hazel Artisan bakery and Arrowhead orchard were supposed to be there as well, so I either missed them or they weren't there this week. 
I really enjoyed the experience as presented by Gervasi and Countryside Conservancy.  I will definitely be back! 
That's my official blog review of my experience at the Gervasi Farmer's Market.  If you are my friend and you happen to mention to me that I went to the Gervasi Farmer's Market, I will tell you a different story.  It was 91 degrees, 8 months pregnant, the kids were running and hitting each other, touching everything in the sample baskets, sampling, sampling, sampling produce.  I couldn't get them away from the pond, which, luckily, only one of them actually went in.  I had to angrily whisper multiple times, "STOP IT!  You're embarrassing me!!"   Next time we go we will all have a discussion on how you're supposed to act at a Farmer's Market.  Even though it is outside, it's still like being at the grocery store.  I also think we'll hold the pond as the fun event we get to do at the end as long as we all behave.  (This is why I decided to disclose my children's names.  I figured I put enough stories like this on here to discourage any would-be kidnappers!  You want to kidnap my kids?  By all means, go ahead and try!  But you're going to have to catch them first, then get them in the car...it'll take you hours, trust me, I know!)