Shreveport Farmers’ Market

One of my favorite Shreveport traditions is waking up early on Saturday to get breakfast at the Shreveport Farmers’ Market. Try the amazing beignets by Cindy Gleason-​Johnson, or «Mexican soul food» by Ki Mexico. Ki Mexico serve up incredibly authentic, affordable tacos, chili, ceviche and more. Other vendors sell everything from sandwiches to ice cream. This may be the Farmers’ Market, but it’s also the closest thing that locals have to a street food scene.
Until I become more of a chef and learn to cook with fresh ingredients like those you can buy from the vendors here, I’ll be coming down every Saturday that I’m able to indulge in the great food to be had here.

I have been coming to the Farmer’s Market for yeeeeears! I LOVE it! First, it’s free to get in! Second, if you’re a male on a date, this is theee place to go on a Saturday morning! You can walk around, eat breakfast, get your morning coffee, squeeze and thump a couple of melons (Hey…No! I know what you’re thinking!) The Farmer’s Market, located at Festival Plaza in downtown Shreveport, is a nice place to people-​watch, it’s a great way to spend a Saturday morning, shooting the breeze, talking to farmers, merchants bout their crops and wares. This year (2012) looks to be the most popular and well-​attended yet! Just about everything (literally) is sold under the sun! Everything is covered by large tents or canopies so you can stay cool! Today I bought a huge Patron bottle filled w/​delicious tabasco peppers! Awesome… There is also a nice lady, under the bridge, after you’ve walked through both large tents, selling the most delicious breakfast sandwich, made to order… It’s a chorizo sausage with a fried egg on top… THE BEST!!! She makes other breakfast items and other delicious Mexican dishes. The name of her business is Ki Mexico and just look for her booth under the bridge near the restrooms! Also look for Herb Swooch, who sells homemade dog and cat treats (that’s right!) and jars up a mean set of peppers as well (See Patron bottle-​only 8 bucks!!) Anyway, love the Farmer’s Market, it’s just a great community gathering. There is also a Farmer’s Market, albeit a somewhat smaller version, on Tuesday afternoons.
Here is the schedule:
Summer Market– every Saturday until September 1^st.
Saturdays 7am to noon
every Tuesday until July 17^th
Tuesdays 3pm to 6pm.
Fall Market-​Saturdays only-​October 27^th to November 17^th
Saturday 8am to noon
The following is just a very short list of some of the things that are sold at the Farmer’s Market: Fresh fruit and vegetables (of course!), all sorts of baked breads, cookies, cakes, pies, pork rinds, flavored crackers, beef jerky, fresh cut meats, wine, arts and crafts, salsas, jellies, jams and preserves, pickled this and pickled that, food made to order (such as sandwiches, coffee and cokes), live music, etc, etc, etc.
Most vendors are cash only, so bring a wad of cash with you! 20 bucks will get you pretty far and should suffice, unless you lose control here, which is easy to do, and then you may wish you brought a little bit more with you. Parking is also free!
I love the Fall Market too! It rocks! And if memory serves me right, the Tuesday (Summer) Market also has a cash bar in addition to live music, so bring your i.d. There is no cash bar at the Market on Saturdays, sorry, to all of you crawling out of the bars and clubs downtown at 6am! Trying to still get your drink on! Go home!

The hotness– fresh food from hippies. Suck It

The best farmers’ market ever (that I’ve been to). I didn’t even really appreciate you until I was gone. You are so much better than the Austin or Dallas farmers’ markets. Everything that I think a farmers’ market should be: local folks selling homemade baked goodies, jellies, pickles, and preserves; tons of local, in-​season, cheap produce; fun local bands; familiar faces among the vendors, who will remember you from week to week.
My personal favorites/​highlights:
The pickled okra father and son team— I’m addicted. I bought four jars before I moved out of Shreveport. They’re spicy, dilly, and delicious. The green beans are a close second.
The corn family. They sell yummy fresh corn off a massive pile o corn in the back of the pickup.
The organic blueberry farm that sold the fattest, juiciest, cheapest fresh blueberries by the pound that I have ever seen.
Honey– both the whipped honey couple and the Bossier City honey that is so inexpensive I feel I’m allowed to eat it straight like pooh-​bear.