Hill-Stead Farmer's Market Today

The Connecticut Farmers Market Trail asked people to post about their purchases at a local farmers market, and I wanted to review the one I usually attend, but Examiner.com is having issues with their slideshow feature.  Bonus post today so I can share the pictures I took, with most of the writeup in my Examiner.com column:

Walking up from the new parking lot.

 The original parking lots were filled by a few minutes after opening.  This walk takes you to the back of the house. The house is open for tours on Farmers Market Sundays, admission free.

A good first stop is the "Friends Of" booth.
Make a donation and get a button good for discounts all season.

Because my CSA keeps me well-supplied with veggies, I was here looking for fruit.  Most of the booths were fairly crowded, so I took long shots and could get a picture at only certain booths.

Fresh bread and muffins were very popular.

Fresh flowers for the table and plants for the yard.

Cherry. Overstuffed Apple, and Fruits of the Farm (Rhubarb, Strawberry, Red Raspberry)

I did not buy pie because I was planning to get some peaches and makes a fresh peach pie.  If this vendor had any peach pie, they were out when I shopped. They did have plums, three kinds of cherries, apricots, and other fruit that I bought for snacking.  Another vendor often has "seconds" of funny-looking or slightly dinged fruit that is perfect for making into jams and pies.

The Italian Ice booth is probably one of the most popular vendors onsite.   In addition to the standard flavours, they offer special written on cards and stuck to their sign - today's are raspberry-lemon, orange-mint, and grapefruit.  Keep an eye out for peach - it goes fast!

Lunch!

You can eat while you listen to music.

There are picnic tables available:

Some lucky people got the rocking chairs on the west portico.

Those who know me are not surprised that I find yarn anywhere I go:

So did someone else!  She spoke to the vendor for quite a while.