The Main Street Farmers’ Market is open every Saturday from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. now through Nov. 17.
With the summer season officially here, the coolest spot each Saturday in Kentlands may be the Main Street Farmers’ Market.
Located at the Main Street Pavilion at 301 Main Street, the market has become a neighborhood fixture and is open from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. every Saturday now through Nov. 17.
Entering the pavilion area, the sweet smell of strawberries permeates the air. The sight and smell of fresh produce is expected at a farmers’ market, but at the Main Street Market this is only the beginning. More than 25 vendors offer pastries, candy, breads, honey, carved wooden products, essential oils, purses, jewelry, pasture raised meat, and even alpaca clothing from Chile.
Judy Rasmussen of Angel Purses sells Vera Bradley-style handbags and coin purses at a fraction of the cost of designer pieces and uses a wide array of fabrics she said are only available online. She is a market regular who enjoys the sense of community as well as the dedication of repeat customers. Rasmussen previously focused her sewing on small blankets for babies but said she tired of “always making just squares” and finds the purses much more challenging.
While the market has many types of sweet treats to try, one eye-catching vendor displays her miniature cupcakes in push-pops like the Flintstones popsicles some may remember from their childhood. Jennifer Brown is the owner of Cupcakes Lounge, a cupcake catering and delivery company specializing in cute twists to the popular party dessert. She said she makes about 13 standard flavors, both mini (available in the push-pops) and regular-sized, but she is willing and able to concoct any flavor a customer might imagine. Cupcakes Lounge also has a unique take on the classic wedding favor known as Jordan Almonds. Brown’s version uses walnuts in lieu of almonds for a fun, updated twist.
Other notable vendors include M&M Plants — with a kicky slogan that reads “If it’s in the dirt, we dig it!” — as well as Victoria’s family-made alpaca clothing and sterling silver jewelry. Customers can also find pasture-raised beef and pork sold from the hatch of a pickup truck stocked with large, white freezer-boxes. Sold by Misty Mountain Farm, located in Hagerstown, Md., this healthier and “green” option is perfect for summer barbecues on a clubhouse grill. And if nothing else catches the eye, a carpenter named Ted just might tempt you with his cardboard stinkbug traps, available for only $5.
On June 2, to enhance the shopping experience, Pritchard Music Academy was on-site playing woodwind instruments.
All farmers’ market vendors take cash and WIC and FMNP checks, with many also accepting credit cards.
For more information, please contact Kristen Hux, Gaithersburg recreation program coordinator, at khux@gaithersburgmd.gov.