Farmers Market Season in Wabash, Indiana as told by a local family

You can feel the excitement in our home on a Saturday morning. Not for sleeping in or cartoons, but because it is finally Farmers Market day! 

Ollie (5) and Millie (2 ½) make sure their shopping carts are loaded into the back of the van and are already strategizing what they want for breakfast. Their fingers are crossed for Emmett’s Paddy Wagon tater tots and lots of veggies from RiverRidge Farm. Any morning is a good morning to be in Downtown Wabash, Indiana, so we always park by the Caboose at the Wabash County Museum to make sure we get to see everyone and everything!

The kids’ tiny empty shopping carts rattle down Market Street, and Louie (11 months) is just happy to be along for the ride. My husband, Tyler, enjoys stopping by Modoc’s for a coffee while the kids climb all over the elephants outside. 

Once we get to the Downtown Wabash Farmers Market, we can already hear the beautiful Daisy Sparks singing and see friends all around. Millie knows our first stop will be to Sweet Brews to grab a drink from Hally and Tyler takes the boys to Emmett’s to order a breakfast burrito and tater tots.

Ollie has spotted one of his favorites, My Dad’s Sweet Corn, and asks for money to go get a bag to put in his cart. Millie sees a dog and that Carly from Downtown Wabash, Inc. has chalk, so she’s definitely headed there to play. Tyler is off talking to Joey at Morning Glories about how Joey’s girls are playing golf while he picks out a bag of guacamole mix. Louie and I head to see Erica from Cordes Berry Farm and figure out what day to come pick blackberries the next week. 

Ollie and Millie run down to the other end to get in line at RiverRidge. There’s a reason they always have the longest line; their colorful veggies are delicious! Last summer, Ollie’s favorites from RiverRidge were rainbow carrots, rainbow mini peppers and rainbow cherry tomatoes…he loves all the colors! He was excited to try the beets after Nathan taught us how to cook them, which was new for all of us! While in line, the kids are fascinated by Small Onion Studio making pottery and are scoping out the Hill n Dale Farms’ tractor pulling the barrel cars that they plan to ride next. On our walk back through all of the vendors, we do one last check at Yenna’s Woodcrafts to see if he has any new wooden tractors or trailers to add to our toy barn.

The former teacher in me sees all of the skills my children are learning from a simple Saturday morning in Downtown Wabash, Indiana. Beyond identifying colors, types of produce and practicing money skills, they’re gaining social skills, using kind manners and showing respect to others. They’re learning where their food comes from, talking about the process of creating and showing love to others. What a morning of great learning experiences!

With full carts and full bellies, we walk back up Market Street to go play at the Museum. After looking at the fossils and traps downstairs, we head upstairs to ride the mopeds for a virtual tour of Wabash County, Indiana and play in The Den. Louie happily crawls up the smaller playset to go down the slide while Ollie and Millie are quick to explore. We may come to the Museum weekly, but my kids always find something new to enjoy! 

I’m not sure I can say enough about how grateful we are to call Wabash, Indiana our home. More than anything, we want our kids to learn the value of showing kindness and supporting those who work hard. I want them to see that being part of a community doesn’t just happen; you have to be willing to believe in people. I hope they witness that, even in our small town, you can do big things.

We love our town and we hope you’ll come visit and feel at home too!

The 16th season of the Downtown Wabash Farmers Market in Downtown Wabash, Indiana starts on Saturday, May 13 from 8 a.m. – noon. The 21-week market runs every Saturday from 8 a.m. – noon until Saturday, Sept. 30 at the Honeywell Center. (275 W. Market St.)

To receive berry-sweet, monthly updates about the Downtown Wabash Farmers Market in your email inbox, subscribe to the Market Lovers Club email! Get monthly updates with upcoming vendors, live entertainment schedules, in-season produce and lots more!

The Downtown Wabash Farmers Market is a seasonal event made possible by Downtown Wabash, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to a downtown district that is vibrant every day and night.

The Downtown Wabash Farmers Market is sponsored by our generous Top Level Sponsor: Grow Wabash County.