Conroe, Texas may still be a pretty small town on the big city map, but it hides a lot of interesting things in its borders. One of those things is a Farmer’s Market. Rain or shine, hot or cold, all year round, local produce growers and other artisans gather every Saturday morning to share their wares with the public. They start setting up around 8 am and are ready to greet all comers by 9am.
The Conroe Farmers’ Market is currently located in the large parking lot behind the theater on Main and Collins under a series of pop-up sun-shades. The vendors offer an interesting variety of goods from locally grown organic fruits and veggies, pickles and preserves, hand-made soaps, and baked goods, to jewelry, and other treats that await those who venture out to visit this little known venue. Each Saturday brings different surprises!
The first time I visited the market in person, I found all the vendors to be friendly and helpful without being pushy. They were even welcoming to the potential for competition in their market niches. All the prices are reasonable considering that none of the goods are mass produced and the creators are generally on hand to answer questions and offer information about their products.
The folks at PEAS Farm were offering jalapenos and other peppers, sweet tomatillos, squash, tomatoes, and plenty of other organically grown veggies. They also had eggs, honey, and several varieties of peppers pickled, in salsa, and in sauces. Want to know if they have something available in advance? Contact them on Facebook. They are friendly and knowledgeable about everything they grow!
Creekwood Creations offers a wide selection of baked goods, from cookies and brownies to breads of all kinds. Marli is available for just a snack, or for corporate gatherings. Standard sugar and white flour are available, though the baker prefers natural ingredients. She is also available for low-carb and gluten free goodies. For more information, contact Marli at red_necked_cowgirl@yahoo.com if you don’t catch her at the market.
The Black Bear Soap Company offers a lovely variety of scents and applications in their hand-made cold process soaps. They even make a shampoo bar just for dogs. All the ingredients are listed on the label for each bar – and you can easily pronounce every ingredient! They are located in Montgomery, Texas, and if you don’t catch these guys at the market, look them up at Black Bear Soap.
Off Your Rocker Jewelry, created by the lovely Nancy, offers a delightful selection of neck, ear and wrist adornments. All of the work is hand-made as befits the rules of the market. Many of the pieces were built around antique beads and findings, and is quite suitable for period re-enacting and steampunk wear. If you don’t see Nancy at the market, look for her on Etsy.
There are more vendors who come out on various weekends, but these are the lovely folks I was given the opportunity to meet and chat with. For advance information about which vendors will be out on a given Saturday, check them out on Facebook.
Come on out on any given Saturday morning to the Conroe Farmers Market and see for yourself some of the hidden treasures in this corner of Texas!
–Ann Cathey
thewanderingtexans 