Summer Goal…Find your GLOW at Red Bluff’s Wednesday Night Farmers Market

Summer Goal…Find your GLOW at Red Bluff’s Wednesday Night Farmers Market

As a parent, do you make goals for your family during the summer? Goals can help break up the monotony of seemingly endless summer days, where the temptation might be to pass the time on screens. Perhaps your list could include several books to read aloud, nearby hikes you would like to take, frequent plunges into refreshing swimming holes or ways your children could help an elderly neighbor.

For a truly memorable summer, consider making weekly outings to the Wednesday night Red Bluff Chamber of Commerce Farmers Market and an eating plan with fresh food purchased from their vendors. Not only will your skin glow from the seasonal, fresh foods, but you will also create precious family memories. Let’s take a closer look at the GLOW plan for Red Bluff’s Farmers Market.

Julia’s Fruit Stand and 30-plus producers share their tasty treats each week from June through August.

G is for Go

“The Farmers Market is a great space for families and delicious seasonal produce is always a great reason to come enjoy the Market,” Jason Bauer of the Red Bluff Chamber of Commerce says. “The live music, artisan products, food trucks and community atmosphere just add reasons to bring the family and make an evening out of it. The Wednesday Market, running throughout the summer for 13 weeks, features a different band each week and changing produce offerings as the season goes on, so you can come out and enjoy a fresh feel. If you are a morning person, we also have the year-round Saturday Market by the River, where shoppers can enjoy exactly what is in season and fresh every weekend.”

The weekly Wednesday night Farmers Market in Red Bluff kicks off June 3 and continues through August. The market operates from 5-8pm on the corner of Washington and Pine Streets in front of the old courthouse.

Luke Parodi and Aaron Peterson perform yearly at the market with their band, Sunday Souvenirs. Their children are among their biggest fans and have made lifelong memories.

Sunday Souvenirs are part of the wonderful lineup of performers throughout the summer.

L is for support Local

With just a little effort on our part, we can stimulate our local economy by taking the time to go to our local farmers market rather than stocking up at a big box store. By supporting the vendors at the farmers market, you are supporting the livelihood of small-scale farmers, artists and vendors and their families. Kathy Brandt, owner of Julia’s Fruit Stand, has been bringing fresh produce to the market for 20 years. “The market is a win-win!” she says. “People get fresh-picked produce for a reasonable price, while the farmers cut out the middleman. It’s also good for the environment as produce isn’t trucked for hundreds of miles. We’re very grateful to have the opportunity to sell at the Chamber’s farmers market.”

Matt and Samantha Haman enjoy teaching their children entrepreneurship by allowing them to help at Island Ice each summer.

O is for Out-Schooling

The delight of farmers markets goes well beyond the treasures for sale, as the market also provides a wonderful learning opportunity for your children. A trip to a market can lead to discussions about entrepreneurship, seasonal eating, farming practices, budgeting and the local economy. Once you get home, you can continue having fun with recipe planning and cooking. Your kids will be so engaged, they won’t even realize they are being schooled “out of school.” Perhaps they can do chores during the week to earn cash to spend specifically at the market. Matt and Samantha Haman have been operating Island Ice in the area since 2020. “Our kids, 9 and 11, have a blast going to the market with us each week and helping in the trailer. It’s a great opportunity for them to learn the business,” Matt says. “Due to the heat, summers can be a bit isolating and this gives us a chance to get out and be involved in the community and work together as a family. What could be better than seeing all the smiles on people’s faces as they order their treats?”

W is for getting out the Wiggles

Hot weather can lead to inactivity, but the farmers market provides an opportunity to get outside and get out your family’s wiggles. People who live nearby can take a slow stroll to the market. Even those who drive can get plenty of steps in as they peruse the vendors and enjoy the tree-lined lawn by the old courthouse. When the music starts, everyone is welcome to dance on the lawn or walkway.

“We have so many videos and pictures of our kids dancing and playing at the Wednesday night markets through the years,” says Luke Parodi, a local musician and father. “The farmers markets are a staple in our family’s summers. There are people that we might not see all year, but we count on seeing them at the Wednesday night concerts. If I am performing, it is such a joy to watch them trickle in with their lawn chairs and blankets. The kids get their snow cones and try hard not to spill them. If it’s not your family’s tradition to attend the farmers markets, I highly recommend starting it this year.”

What says summer nostalgia like tree-lined streets, swaying to music, a snow cone on a hot day and bringing home a basket of fresh produce? We hope your goal will be to make the Red Bluff Farmers Market a glowing tradition in your family this summer. Visit northstateparent.com and click on the Farmers Market tab to find a treasure trove of farmers’ markets in the North State.