Wyoming Ave. market offers just enough variety, abundance of excellence

Ralph Klug of RJ Veggies fills a customer's bag with
late summer sweet corn. Photo: Rose Alcorn

Hidden away (but easy to find) in Wyoming, Ohio's older business district is a Tuesday afternoon farmers' market. This neighborhood market may not have the number of sellers as the larger, more urban markets, but each of the ten or so vendors (depending on week and seasonality of products) offers something different and excellent quality goods.

See the slide show for vendors featured on September 1, 2009. Not pictured is Mohr Animal Acres, which brought fresh items including chicken, brown eggs, and a special on their sage spiced bulk or patty sausage for just $2/pound.

Per the market's Web site, "Wyoming Avenue Farmers' Market is a producer-only, volunteer-run business committed to offering local, consumable products to our neighbors.  The fresh produce is organically or sustainably grown within 90 miles of the Market, and the cottage-produced products are made within 25 miles."

May through October, Market hours are 3 p.m.-7 p.m., Tuesdays. The market is located in downtown Wyoming at 522 Wyoming Avenue, the corner of Wyoming Avenue and Van Roberts Place (across from Gabby’s Cafe). There is plenty of free parking on Wyoming Avenue and in public parking lots behind Gabby’s Cafe and Wyoming Meat Market.

Britt Hedges, Co-owner and Vendor Coordinator of the market, said that there is typically a different event each week. A food preparation demonstration from a local chef is planned for the September 8 market. 

The Wyoming Avenue Market is kid-friendly - many of the attendees were moms with little ones in tow, and had walked over from the surrounding neighborhoods. Because there's less bustle than the larger urban markets and many of the products are on low, banquet-style tables, younger children can walk up to each stand and be more involved with shopping. Vendors are friendly and happy to humor inquisitive and gentle little hands examining the farm-fresh goods or answer any questions from the grown-ups.

The contained, parking lot area of the market is conducive to visiting with friends who happen to wander in, while keeping an eye on kids as they bounce among the market booths. A Wyoming police officer also was present and actively walking the market, keeping watch over vendors and shoppers.

The Market Tent has a binder with photos taken during staff farm and facility visits made during the year, so you can see where the market's products are raised or produced.