Bluegrass + The Farmer's Market

July 2, 2016

I have written about the new Carbondale Community Farmer's Market before, but this week, I was so inspired by the live music that Hey Honey played! I created this fun video to showcase how vibrant this market is, so check it out here, or on my YouTube channel!

Visit the Carbondale Community Farmer's Market every Wednesday from 3-6 pm, next to the Town Square Market, at the 200 block of Washington Street in Carbondale, IL. You will have access to seasonal produce, meat, eggs, bread, hand crafted sodas, sandwiches, baked goods, and more. You can even pick up some dinner at the market from Longbranch Cafe (I had the most amazing Sloppy Joes this week), and you can bring something home to snack on, or use for your meals throughout the rest of the week. I always like visiting each and every booth to see what's in season!

Hope you can stop by the market soon!

Carbondale Community Farmer's Market - Weeks 1 & 2

May 3, 2016

So we have a new(ish) Farmer's Market in Carbondale. It happens every Wednesday afternoon from 3-6 pm. Tomorrow marks the third week, and I love the whole vibe of this market so much. The Carbondale Community Farmer's Market began operating out of the Carbondale Community High School a few years ago, and also hosted Carbondale's only Winter Farmer's Market. They wanted to provide a summer market to the city that serves this vibrant community, and wanted to help make local, small-batch, and organic produce and products available. The market is really wonderful.

Feel free to check out my two photo Facebook albums: Week 1 ~ Week 2

Scratch Beer offers refreshing craft sodas at the market, as well as home made croutons and other bread items and mixes.

All Seasons Farm - All Local, All Organic

Week 1 ~ Week 2

Fall Favorites with Toad&Co

November 21, 2015

A little while back I visited a pumpkin patch and chose the most perfect pumpkin ever! I wanted to stop at Rendleman Orchards so many times, and was so happy I finally did! The season is about over mid-November, but during the summer and fall, you can visit their adorable shop, The Farmer's Market, and get apple cider donuts, amazing apple cider, all sorts of other food and gift items, and more. If you are looking for the best pumpkins in southern Illinois, look no further! You can pick your own, or choose one they have all ready for you at the shop.

The best part about this day was the fact that I got to sport some Toad&Co clothing! I have loved Toad&Co ever since they had a totally different name (Horny Toad). I found a pair of their shorts at some cool shop on one of our travels, and as soon as we got back home I ordered two more pairs. I have such a hard time finding shorts and pants that fit me properly, that aren't super short, but aren't unflatteringly long. Toad&Co came through for me, and I love them for it.

One of the items I am wearing here, is the Women's Printed Lean Leggings in Falcon Brown Print. These leggings have not pilled yet, which is amazing. Make sure to get your size, rather than sizing up. I am kind of curvy, so I ordered one size larger than I thought. These have a very forgiving fit, so just make sure you go with your normal size. The material is beautiful, I love the different shades of brown together, and the print is cute. They're very versatile!

The shirt I am wearing is the Intermezzo Pullover, in Tyrian Purple. It has two pockets on the front, which I love, and a secret pocket that has a hidden zipper to keep small items like cash, cards, or a house key. This would be a great go-to shirt for a million different reasons. It's warm, but breathable, which is a must for me.

I reached out to them a little while ago, to let them know how wonderful their items are, and they graciously sent me some things to review. I was extremely happy when the package arrived at my door. These clothes fit extremely well, and wow, are they well-made! No pilling at all, and I have been wearing them pretty regularly.

Cabbie even helped me out, modeling for this project :) She really doesn't like the camera at all. We point the thing at her, and she looks away, or even just plain gets up and leaves. This day, I think she really had a lot of fun at the pumpkin patch, so she humored me for just a few photos.

I just love these clothes! They were perfect for a day out, picking pumpkins.

These leggings are great, super comfy and NOT see-through like some out there! I have worn them with my taller boots a lot, too, and they are so cute.

Have you ever worn anything by Toad&Co? If so, comment below and let me know what you have!

Be sure to check out the Intermezzo Pullover, and the Women's Printed Lean Leggings. They go together so well, it's an outfit match made in Heaven! A special thanks to Toad&Co. for being so awesome!

And, look for another upcoming post where I feature a few more of their items, soon!

CHECK OUT TOAD&CO

Website - Facebook - Instagram - Pinterest

Farm To Table // A New Market in Carbondale, IL

June 23, 2015

Last week, Carbondale saw the start of a new Farmer's Market! It's super close to our house, and it is organized by one of my friends, Courtney Smith. This market is super convenient because it runs from 4-7 pm on Wednesdays, which is right before I would be making dinner. We ate all of the veggies right after I got home from my market visit, and had an amazing vegetarian dinner of mashed potatoes, green beans, and raw carrots for the appetizer! The reason I named this post Farm To Table is because I spoke with a couple, from Homer Grown, who were vending at the market. They grew most of the vegetables pictured below, and they seemed so incredibly passionate about what they do. They knew so much about each and every vegetable and bean picked, and would even grow you something you request!

We chopped off the ends of these green beans, and then fried them in 1-2 Tbsp of olive oil, some chopped red onions, and one piece of bacon we had baked the day before for Bloody Mary's :) I didn't get a great photo of the potatoes, but we chopped up the red potatoes and white potatoes and boiled them with a little bit of salt and onion. After they were soft, I strained them, and added a splash of milk, more salt, and some butter. Just taste as you go, and see what you think tastes best. They were amazing with the beans! Beans (above) and Red Onions (below) from Homer Grown.

I also found myself some beautiful flowers from Flora Bay Farm. They're also from my friend Courtney, and she is great with floral arrangements. It's so fun to see what she grows each season, and I will definitely be making this new Farmer's Market a weekly thing!

And, some super fresh BASIL! What a beautiful smell :)

My Free People Reusable Shopping Bag and my market finds

Isn't this the cutest Farmer's Market Stand you've ever seen? They built it and are proud that it helps identify the market to people who pass by and hope it makes them want to stop. Homer Grown has some of the best veggies around!