Since we’ve only got a few more sunny and warm weekends left, I decided to finally visit the Freight House Farmers’ Market I had always been wanting to check out. The market is in Davenport, Iowa and is open on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Like any farmers market, there are a variety of fresh fruits, vegetables, and other plants for sale. Unlike every other farmers market though, I was shocked at just how much was available here and how large the Freight House market was! I had spent an entire morning there just because of how much there was to see. Freight House is huge and always crowded with people throughout the day! Different arrangements of vegetables in baskets, and giant bags of any kind of apple you want were offered at tons of different tents run by the home growers themselves. Vegetables that I had never even heard of were handpicked, washed and ready to be sold from the farm or garden. Speaking of gardens, the market was absolutely filled with flowers. Different handpicked bouquets were sold, single sunflowers, or large baskets of mums. Whatever flower you wanted to add to your garden, was available from the garden of the the vendors.
Among all of the fresh produce, fresh baked goods were scattered throughout the market as well. Ranging from muffins and donuts to fresh baked bread and cakes, there were different baked goods with every head turn. Since it is September, many of the baked goods were pumpkin or apple flavored for the fall. Pumpkins and gourds were dispersed at many of the produce vendor stands, but all over the market too creating such a cute and festive fall day spot! The smells coming from these delicious foods were incredible and made everyone there want to try a bite of everything! While talking about trying all of the baked goods, other foods like meats, salsas, sauces, and more were offered and available for taste tasting at all times too. The different vendors had tons of their items ready to try and of course, I tried them all. I was never disappointed. It was so cool to be able to try different flavors or items before you decide which one, or 4 in my case, you have to buy. The farmers market has so many different and exciting kinds of foods that aren’t what you would think of eating everyday which made trying them so much fun.
Throughout the streets of the market, there was so much to see besides all of the delicious food. Handmade jewelry, hats, clothing, knick knacks, and home decor were all found in the market as well. Different vendors bring what they make to the market to be sold. I saw many signs with fall sayings and pumpkins, jewelry made from old typewriter keys, and hand woven hats for the winter! Soaps, scrubs, oils and sprays were also really popular throughout the market. Even a small boutique was featured at the market this last weekend while I was there. It was so cool to see all the items people created and watch them get sold to customers enjoying the market.
Most of the market is vendors selling their homemade recipes, fresh produce, or handmade items. But, there were a few restaurant/ corporation food trucks there as well! If you were feeling a little bit too hungry for free samples, or wanted something more than a pumpkin scone or a muffin, the food trucks offered even more options! A few of the restaurants on wheels were La Flama, a Mexican restaurant in Davenport, and The Streets of Italy, a pizza restaurant also located in Davenport. There were many more of these food trucks with meals, and different coffee/ drink spots as well down one side of the market.
Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, the market has an indoor market too! The indoor market is home to even more vendors. A lot of the items that may not be best in the heat, were located here. This allows for Freight House Farmers Market to be open year round! Different cheeses, dips, candies and teas can be found in the inside market. Again, all hot and ready for tasting! Freight House hosts many different events especially during the fall, and continues throughout the year. If you’re looking for a great morning or afternoon filled with lots of food and fun the Freight House Farmers’ Market is totally the spot for you!