Tag Archives: farmers market

Saturday Kapiolani Community College Farmers Market

Early Saturday mornings the crowds begin to gather at the Saturday Kapiolani Community College Farmers Market. Vendors set up early for shoppers who arrive as early at 7 AM to select their fresh produce. Purchases can not be collected until the air horn goes off at 7:30, announcing the official opening.

Local farmers bring fresh tomatoes, papayas, greens, apples, oranges, pineapple, onions, potatoes, sweet corn, mangoes. Treat yourself to exotic foods like Dragon fruit, ramubtan, dragons eyes, purple potatoes, cherimoya.

Tables are covered with colorful orchids, tropical flowers and we see customers leave with huge bouquets. Other delicacies include honey, salsa, kettle corn, pastries and breads.

When you finish shopping, treat yourself to breakfast from one of the many food vendors. Crowd favorites include Kona coffee, heirloom tomato pizza, Egyptian chicken, fried green tomatoes, Portuguese sausage and eggs. The Hawaiian staple, loco moco plates include a scoop of rice, scoop of macaroni salad, eggs all smothered in gravy topped with meat, often hamburger.

Da Spot one of the Kapiolani Community College Farmers Market vendors

Da Spot one of the many vendors at K

There is but one picnic table in the park to sit and eat your meal. Best bet is to find a curb or a spot on the retaining wall to eat. Bring a straw mat and enjoy a picnic on the grass.

By 9:00, the crowds are so thick is hard to navigate. The KCC farmers market is popular with Japanese tourists who arrive by the busload.

Crowds at Kapiolani Community College Farmers Market

Crowds gather early at Kapiolani Community College Farmers Market

Bring your own reusable shopping bags for comfort carrying your purchases through the market. The small parking lot fills up quickly. KCC is a short walk from the Diamond Head side of Waikiki. The college is located across from the entrance to Diamond Head state park.

Convenient Public transportation via The Bus drops passengers off and picks up in front of the farmers market. Ask for a transfer and your return trip is free.

Milwaukee Public Market

Milwaukee Public Market in Third District

The Milwaukee Public Market in Third District is the place to be for an unique selection of artisan foods. There is a wide variety and a large selection of vegetarian items. My biggest struggle was narrowing my choices. The first floor of the market is packed with restaurants and stores offering local foods, drinks, flowers and kitchenware.

Select items either to go or eat in. Plenty of tables for dinig are available upstairs or outside. We purchased foods at one location and ate at another vendor where we purchased drinks. I found many vegetarian selections to choose from including items at Aladdin – Taste of the East, Pita Works, The Soup & Stock Pot, The Green Kitchen and Margarita Paradise.

Follow the Milwaukee Public Market on Twitter and Facebook.

Milwaukee Public Market
Milwaukee Public Market

Milwaukee Public Market on Urbanspoon

Stades Farm Cattle Car Maze Game McHenry Illinois

Our McHenry County Visitor Bureau sponsored tour stopped at Stade’s Farm and Market in McHenry, McHenry County, Illinois. Due to popular demand, we are posting our adventure as three full sized adults attempt to maneuver through a slippery, metal, two story cattle car converted into a children’s maze. Vern Stade says school kids love the maze and often there are 50 children running through at once.

Stade's Cattle Car Maze Game

Stade's Cattle Car Maze Game

Kris Cain lead the charge and was through before we started. Our videographer, Noel F. Williams decided to “roll tape” while Noel, Jim Webster and I tackled the maze designed for the three foot tall or less set. The morning rain made the metal inside of the car slick.

Notice how calmly Jim handles the phone call he gets from a client during our adventure.

Think of it as “Stade’s Maze meets Blair Witch Project”. Click on the image below to view this episode of “Where Are You Today?”

You can read more about our adventures at Stade’s Farm and Market in McHenry County.

Stade’s Farm and Market
3709 W Miller Road
McHenry , Il 60051
815-675-6396



Stades Farm and Farmers Market McHenry Illinois

Our McHenry County Visitor Bureau sponsored tour stopped at Stade’s Farm and Market in McHenry, McHenry County, Illinois. Vern Stade began his business with a couple of produce stands, expanded to u-pick pumpkins and now runs a popular agra-tourism destination.

The season starts with asparagus and u-pick strawberries and runs through Halloween with various produce and events.

The farm grows all the produce sold in their market except apples and blueberries. Sweet corn, tomatoes and strawberries are the biggest sellers. Mounds of zucchini, beets, cantaloupe and gourds are attractively displayed in the large farmer’s market.

Specialty items also available in the market include salsa, honey, and cookbooks. We browsed the variety of quilted items.

Quilts at Stades Farm and Farmers Market McHenry Illinois

Quilts at Stades Farm and Farmers Market McHenry Illinois

Stade’s bakery makes their own shortcake for strawberry shortcakes. Donuts, pies and zucchini bread are baked daily. Don’t miss these sweet tweets.

The market is just the beginning! Children can spend an entire afternoon with the farm activities. Shoot down the Slide Mountain. Take a spin around the farm on this barrel train pulled by an orange tractor. Walk among the llama, goats, cows and other critters and feed them in the petting zoo. Ride the ponies or the pedal cars around the two tracks.

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Our group of full sized adults took on the double decker Bovine Befuddlement and survived. I recommend this attraction for those under four feet tall. School groups have a great time in here.

Watch the video of the adults struggling through the two story corn maze game.

Stade's Cattle Car Maze Game

Stade's Cattle Car Maze Game

While you navigate the two acre corn maze, take the Stade challenge answering the 15 educational questions in the maze correctly and you can take home a free mini pumpkin. This year Stade’s offers a one price wristband, including admission to all attractions.

Kids can play in 500 bushels of corn in this box. This is Kris Cain showing us the little kid inside her.
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I tested out the corn cob shooter and came darn close to the hitting the targets. The biggest and loudest attraction at the farm is the pumpkin cannon. Watch video to see how the homemade artillery shoots out pumpkins at 300 feet per second. We hear the pumpkins can do serious damage to autos targeted for demolition.

Come hungry and try out the food choices at the fall harvest Shades of Autumn. The stage features local music acts you can watch or listen to while browsing the craft show and swap meet.

Stade’s celebrates a different theme each weekend with special events and discounts September through October.

  • Annual Tractors for Charity Antique Tractors, Trucks, & Construction Equipment Show
  • Pick Your Own Pumpkin Begins
  • Grandparents Weekend
  • Columbus Day Weekend
  • Sweetest Day Weekend
  • Family Fun Weekend
  • Halloween Weekend

Each Sunday morning 150 people gather at the farm for Christian worship. Several local churches hold outdoors services based on a rotating schedule.

Stade’s provides fresh produce for Northern Illinois families in need through Gleaners for the Lord, a non-profit volunteer organization which picks leftovers from the harvest.

Clickon the image below to view this episode of “Where Are You Today?”

Stade’s Farm and Market
3709 W Miller Road
McHenry , Il 60051
815-675-6396

Our trip was sponsored by the McHenry County Visitors Bureau and Stade’s Farm and Market.

Algonquin Farmers Market McHenry County Illinois

The Algonquin Farmers Market in Northern Illinois returns. Stop by any Thursday evening from 1 PM – 7 PM at the corners of Harrison & Washington Streets in the heart of beautiful historic downtown Algonquin. Plenty of free parking and a wide variety of vendors showcasing the best of McHenry County. The event runs now through September 30th.

Algonquin Farmers Market McHenry County Illinois

Algonquin Farmers Market McHenry County Illinois

As a bonus, beginning July 15, walk a couple of blocks north of the Farmers Market for music along the Fox River at River Front park. Bring a lawn chair or blanket and relax with your neighbors.

Clickon the image below to view this episode of “Where Are You Today?”.