A Place of Relationship: The Clintonville Farmers' Market

Lined up along High St. just North of North Broadway, the Clintonville Farmers' Market draws quite a crowd on Saturday mornings. Most people seem to walk to the market from their homes, while others ride their bikes or simply drive. 

Amidst all the bike helmets, strollers, and dog leashes, the vendors and artisans offer a wide variety of product with a smile. From carrot farms, organic meat producers, and herbs and flowers, a full kitchen could easily be accomplished at this market. 

Meet my little basil plant.

Herbs and spices are a lucrative product at most farmers' markets, and the Clintonville market is no different. There were several booths that offered a variety of plants to round out any garden - herb or otherwise. One vendor, Beth Elder from Terre Verte Farm, based in Mount Vernon, not only had a booth that smelled great, but also offered up a lot of useful information for how to grow your own basil plant. Ms. Elder said to make sure the little guy got a lot of light, not too much water, and to be sure to clip the leaves right at the stem. Furthermore, she said that the basil plant would do just fine in an apartment :)

Herbs and spices are only a segment of what the vendors at the Clintonville market have to offer. In fact, many of the vendors are ones that set up shop at other markets around town. One cheese vendor, Blue Jack Cheese, can be found at 15 markets in a week! Also, the Columbus favorite, Luna Burgers, can be seen at the Worthington and Granville markets as well. It's encouraging to hear that so many vendors hit up multiple markets, only further enhancing their product's exposure. 

Another cool feature of the Clintonville market is their live music tent. Located just out front of the Global Gallery Cafe, the tent features local musicians. This particular Saturday, a folk group called Bohemian Highway entertained the market customers. 

Bohemian Highway were a great addition to the market.

Overall, the market has a great atmosphere. The vibe was very positive and it seemed as if everyone there was invested in supporting the vendors and eating locally. With reusable bags in hands, it was fun to watch the relationships between the customers and vendors. It was apparent that many customers were repeats to certain booth. To one vendor a customer said, "Hi! I'm back! Those raspberries from last week were so good I just had to come back and get more."



If you are ever in Clintonville or feel like making a special trip, the farmers' market is a great way to start a Saturday.

A view of the Clintonville Market lined up on High St.