Webster Grove's Farmers Market Opens for Second Season

The  kicked off its second season opener Thursday, featuring many of the same local growers from last year and some new vendors. 

The market provides fresh, seasonal, locally grown produce and food items from a variety of different companies in a lively street setting. It also offers live music, chef demonstrations and kids' activities. 

“People are recognizing the importance of eating locally, and the movement is taking off,” said Angela Foley, market master. “Almost all of our first-year vendors have returned, and we’ve added many new ones.” 

Stinger’s Honey is a new vendor. The owner offers three kinds of honey – an early spring, an early summer and late summer – each with a distinct taste and color based on the plants and trees her bees were pollinating in her Clayton backyard. Stinger’s also has a selection of gifts and candles all made from beeswax. 

The Cheese People from Quincy, IL, is another new vendor. It offers a selection of cheeses from soft bleu's to aged parmesan's. Samples of the cheeses are available before purchase. 

An unexpected treat was a chef’s demo by Kevin Nashan from Sydney Street Café in Benton Park. Nashan was frying quail’s eggs and serving them over morel mushrooms.

“We are trying to have a chef demo every week,” Foley said.

Baked goods are also available at the market. BitterSweet Bakery sells the ultimate cookie/cake/pie combo – the whoopi pie - along with other cookies and confections. This chocolate cookie and buttercream-filled whoopi pie is baked right here in St. Louis.

Mast’s Produce and Bakery also sells pies and cookies, which are made in Bellrive, IL. While Mast's tables were filled with baked goods on opening day, they do expect to have more and more produce as the season progresses.

The market is open every Thursday from May through mid-October from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the corner of Big Bend Boulevard and Old Orchard Avenue. For a complete list of vendors, visit the company's website.