A windy bike ride down the Drag and through downtown brought us to the Austin Farmers Market this past Saturday morning. The Market runs every Saturday from 9 AM-1 PM at Guadalupe and 4th (Republic Square Park). You can’t miss it.

Seattle (where the Austinot moved from at the end of 2011) has an extraordinary number of farmers markets year-round and takes great pride in every one. My personal opinion is that the Austin Farmers Market rivals or surpasses what I experienced in Seattle.

Fruits and vegetables, bread and bakery items, meat, honey, cheeses…the Austin Farmers Market has it all.

There is also hot food from Bola Pizza, TacoDeli, Texas French Bread and other local Austin food joints. The presence of food and drink makes the Market a great stop for the whole family. I saw dads hanging out with the kids, while moms did their shopping for the week.

Bola Pizza, awarded 2011 Critics Best Wood-Fired Outdoor Slice of Pizza by the Austin Chronicle

Scheduled entertainment adds to the comfortable and friendly ambience. Even if you’re a fast food junkie with nothing to gain from wholesome farm food (besides ten years added to your life), you can still come enjoy the music.

We got to meet Joe Sundell and the Show-and-Tellers (a name fit for the Austin indie scene). They weren’t scheduled, but they enjoyed a happy crowd. I gotta admit, I liked their Folk/Americana better than the other guys’. Who can argue with an upright Bass?

Joe Sundell and the Show-and-Tellers

Happy children climbing trees and rolling down hills with leaves in their hair, leashed dogs running around to test your dog breed knowledge, hot breakfast tacos and tantalizing pastries, wholesome food for your kitchen grown locally and sustainably. How can you lose with the Austin Farmers Market?