Farmers Market Reports
Beekeeper notes on the seasonal happenings, local harvests, and community stories from my favorite farmers market at Eisenhower Park.
You Are What You Make
A quieter market morning became a reminder that farmers markets aren't just about buying local—they're about asking questions, sharing knowledge, and meeting the people behind what they make.
One Sentence That Stayed With Me
In an early morning conversation with the first customer of the day at the CCE Farmers Market, she looked around my table and said,
“You are what you make.”
After years of working as a dietitian, I’ve heard the phrase “You are what you eat” more times than I can count. But this was different.
You are what you make.
To me, it was one of the nicest compliments I could receive, and it stayed with me for the rest of the morning.
A Smaller Market, Bigger Conversations
It was one of those gray June Saturdays where nobody could quite decide if it was going to rain. Attendance was lighter than usual, several vendors were absent, and the park felt unusually quiet. A few visitors looked around with puzzled expressions, wondering if this was all there was to the market.
But I couldn’t help thinking about those five words.
You are what you make.
Maybe that’s what a farmers market is really about.
Not simply buying something local, but but taking advantage of the opportunity to meet the people behind the tables.. The growers. The bakers. The makers. The people who spend their days learning, experimenting, and perfecting what they love to do.
As a customer, you may only see the finished product. But if you pause for a moment, you begin to imagine the early mornings, failed batches, weather frustrations, long hours of waiting, and the constant learning that goes into improving a craft. And of course, the pride that comes from making—or growing—something with your own hands.
At a farmers market, every table tells that story if you’re willing to stop long enough to listen.
Questions Worth Asking
Questions and curiosity are always welcome here.
Sometimes those questions lead to wonderful surprises.
A quiet moment at the Backyard Bees table gave me the chance to overhear a conversation next door at Two Brothers Farms. A customer was asking about zucchini blossoms—a favorite ingredient that he hadn’t been able to find anywhere.
Instead of ending with disappointment, the conversation ended with arrangements for a fresh-picked box to be delivered to his doorstep.
That little exchange made me smile.
Later, a familiar customer wandered over to my table and asked a simple question.
“Do you still make pine tar soap?”
I laughed.
I do.
When people stopped asking for it, I stopped bringing it to market. A few bars have been sitting at home ever since…waiting for someone to ask.
This week they’ll have a new home.
That’s one of the things I love about markets like this. People don’t always come looking for a particular product. Sometimes they simply ask a question, and the conversation leads somewhere unexpected.
The conversations went both ways.
One gentleman from India began telling me about traditional Indian desserts and the different syrups and sweeteners they use. I was completely fascinated and would happily have listened longer if his wife hadn’t gently pulled him away before he had a chance to share a recipe.
Back at the honey table, the most common question of the morning returned once again.
“Why are these honeys different colors?”
That question opened the door to talking about flowers, nectar, seasons, and tulip trees.
The Blue Family
The sweetest conversation came from what I started calling “the Blue Family”—a mom, her twin boys, and a little dog, all dressed in matching shades of blue.
“Why is this honey so light?”
“Because the bees visited different flowers.”
We talked about tulip trees with their enormous blossoms high in the canopy.
“I know that if a bee stings you, it dies,” one little boy proudly announced.
A few moments later he looked up at his mom.
“Can we take this home for Daddy?”
They left smiling, promising to come back next week…
“…wearing red.”
And that made ME smile. Those are the moments that remind me honey isn’t just something people buy. It becomes part of a family breakfast, a gift for Dad, or a memory children carry home along with the jar.
The People Behind The Tables
As I packed up this afternoon, I found myself thinking once again about those five words.
You are what you make.
At a farmers market, that doesn’t just describe the products on the tables.
It describes the people standing behind them.
The vegetables, the bread, the honey, the plants, the soaps, and the flowers may be what draw us to the tables. But if we linger for a few minutes, we discover that every one of those things comes with a story—and someone who loves telling it. The real value is the knowledge, generosity, and passion that each maker brings with them.
So next time you visit a farmers market, don’t be afraid to ask a question.
You never know where the conversation might lead.
If this is your first Farmers Market Report, you can learn more about the CCE Farmers Market and what makes it unique in my guide, “A Real Farmers Market at Eisenhower Park.“
Looking Ahead
Next Saturday the CCE Farmers Market will take a break as many of us celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States. We’ll be back the following week, ready to settle into the heart of the market season.
I’m especially looking forward to the return of Fig Fare. Last year’s fig tasting was one of my favorite market experiences, and I already know I’ll be asking lots of questions. If you’re curious too, you can read about last year’s event.
Meanwhile, let’s see what next market brings.
Continue Exploring
From Backyard Bees to Backyard Figs: A Sweet Surprise on Long Island read about last years Fig Fare at Eisenhower Park Farmers Market
A Real Farmers Market at Eisenhower Park what makes the farmers market at Eisenhower park so special to me; find links to all the market reports here
Opening Day in the Wind last week’s market report
