The Brentwood Farmers' Market. Pretty much a built-in "something to do" every Saturday morning from March until November. My girls and I have spent almost every Saturday since they were born in Downtown Brentwood so we are self-proclaimed "Farmers' Market Experts". Them more than me since a lot of my Saturday morning was spent working. They LOVE the Farmers' Market. Absolutely love it. The Farmers' Market has been going on for a whole month so far this 2018 season and we had not been yet and to them, that was NOT OK. So last weekend we ventured downtown and to make up for lost time, visited all their favorite things to do in one fun-filled morning.
Here are five kid-friendly ideas when visiting the Brentwood Farmer's Market:
- Purchase fresh fruit and vegetables. A lot of us adults come to the Farmers' Market for fresh fruits and veggies but the kiddos absolutely LOVE being involved in that process too. It's a perfect teaching moment, not only for them to pick out their own healthy foods, but also to meet some of the people who grow the food and learn about the process behind the produce they take home and eat. Plus, some booths have FREE SAMPLES! Perfect, to keep those little bellies happy!
- Enjoy breakfast at the market. Speaking of keeping little bellies happy, my girls LOVE eating breakfast at the market. More specifically, they LOVE breakfast burritos from El Gallito but there are so many good breakfast and pastry booths right at the market (not to mention the amazing restaurants right in downtown) that eating breakfast in Downtown Brentwood is a fun treat when visiting the market.
- Pick fresh flowers to take home. Picking out flowers to take home has become a weekly tradition for us. The girls get a budget of under five dollars (for $3 or $4 you can get a great bunch of flowers) and we pick out flowers, take them home to a vase, and get a bright reminder all week of the market.
- Two words- mini donuts. These donuts are A-MAZING. I could eat a whole bucket by myself. But that's socially unacceptable so instead I trick my kids to look the other way while grabbing a mini donut out of their bag. Seriously. That's also frowned upon but a little better for my waistline than eating a whole bucket alone. Added bonus- not only are these donuts delicious (you can choose from a cinnamon sugar or powdered sugar coating. Both go great on the melt in your mouth donuts. My favorite is cinnamon sugar but both girls like powdered sugar) but the owners and staff working the booth are SUPER NICE. Make you feel like family every time and are great with the kids! Insider tip: If you want to split a bag but can't decide on what type they will give you two half bags to make everyone happy!
- Visit the Kid Zone interactive farming at First Generation Farmers. The title pretty much speaks for itself. If you come to the market with kids, the interactive farming at First Generation Farmers is a must. Each week the kids can plant something to take home and they now have a craft offered weekly too! Fun Fact: The girls dad (aka my husband Justin) is cousins with Alli, the founder of First Generation Farmers. So the name First Generation Farmers definitely has a special (and literal) meaning to our family!
There are so many other things to do when visiting the Farmers' Market too but these were top on my girls' list when I asked them their favorites. Here is a little video of them in action at the market:
Make sure to check out the Brentwood Farmers' Market every Saturday in Downtown Brentwood (First and Oak Streets) from 8 AM to noon. The market starts in March and will run until November. And as a past Downtown Brentwood business owner I have to say, make sure to pop in and visit the Downtown Brentwood shops too! Saturdays we had the market made all the difference as a business owner in Downtown Brentwood so don't forget to visit those businesses all 365 days a year! And make sure to visit our Facebook page and let me know what your favorite thing to do at the Brentwood Farmers' Market is!
