If you’re searching for a fun weekend activity in the Dallas area, look no further than the Dallas Farmers Market. I took a trip there myself this past Sunday and shopped an array of fresh local produce that was offered from farmers in and around the area.
Besides offering delicious fresh fruits and vegetables, the farmers market also contains some of Dallas’s favorite pop-up shops and restaurants. All together the space includes “The Market,” a 26,000 square foot indoor food hall, and “The Shed,” an open-air pavilion with local vendors supplying fresh produce.
Within “The Market,” I found a wide variety of restaurants that may be familiar to others, such as: La Popular, Rex’s Seafood, Si Tapas, and Taquera La Vantana. There were also a few specialized vendors selling merchandise, as well as some sweet treats such as: Doc Popcorn, Betty’s Blue Ribbon Fare, and Dallas Antique Co. Not only are you able to dine and shop at The Market but you’re also able to find a range of fresh fish, poultry, and meats that can be packaged up and taken home to cook.
As I walked outside and into “The Shed,” I caught sight of the gorgeous display of colorful flowers which were sold towards the front section of the pavilion. To the right of that, I then noticed a handful of large tables that were piled high with locally sourced fruits and vegetables including tomatoes, carrots, collard greens, peaches, strawberries and many more.The Shed is the perfect place to stop for some beautiful plants, flowers, or vegetables for your garden after stocking up on all the produce at The Market.
Baugh Farms, one of the family owned vendors, sold an assortment of items that they grow at their farm, such as squash, onions, and heirloom tomatoes. The farmers market manager, Beth Clem, was working behind the counter of the Denton Creek Farm vendor, where she briefly described some of the farm’s produce to me.
“They have a variety of seasonal vegetable crops such as carrots, rainbow chard, and collard greens,” Clem said. “This morning we had strawberries and this is the first weekend for us to have strawberries so were really excited.”
Braga Farms DFW, another vendor within The Shed, sold an array of different homemade pesto sauces.
“We are a family farm growing and raising everything in the most natural and wholesome way possible,” says vendor Jill Braga.
I bought the Braga Farms collard greens pesto from Jill and used it as a marinade for grilled shrimp later that day. The flavor was incredibly fresh and unbelievably delicious!
A few of the other vendors I came across inside The Shed included Winona Orchards, Jenkins Farm, Heddins Family Farms, and Kelley Plant Farms. Towards the middle section of The Shed other vendors offered homemade candles, hand crafted jewelry, pastries, and food spices. I purchased a jar of the “Texas Steak Rub” from the spice counter and can confidentially say that it is one of the most flavorful seasonings I’ve ever tried! Out back, behind The Shed, I even found a chicken coup where chickens were laying their eggs.
There was so much to offer at the Dallas Farmers Market and it was easy to embrace everything at once. The peak of the farmers market season starts in May and goes through July, so stop by while you can before it ends!
