Last year I waited months to get to go to the Best of Missouri Market at the Botanical Gardens. It's this huge spread of vendors from all over Missouri showcasing their items and products made or grown here in Missouri. Yes, that had my name written all over it. I can't remember now exactly why we didn't get to go, but I'm pretty sure it had something to do with rain and cold weather.
So this year a friend mentioned on Friday that they were going Saturday. I had forgotten about it this year with everything else going on. We debated for a while about whether to go, since Elliott's sleepover was the night before and then we had Ethan's soccer that morning also, but in the end we decided it was a beautiful day and just to go for it.
And we did not regret it for one minute!
We probably walked about 10 feet into the first tent when Elliott turned to me and said "I love this!" There were all kinds of food vendors - salsa, fudge, bbq sauce, wineries, jams, jellies, bakeries, meat markets and more. And each booth had samples. I think they sampled almost everything! And we came home with two kinds of bbq sauce, jalapeno pepper jelly, and a mini pumpkin pie (and empty Fitz's bottles). It was almost torture for me, because I still didn't feel like having anything in my mouth, but I just loved being there in that atmosphere with all of those handmade, local-grown items.
They had a kids' area behind the Children's Garden set up with a pumpkin patch, crafts, etc. This is Ethan grinding some corn. They both also got to make apple cider with a cider press, and one of them even milked a cow.........
Ethan didn't want to try it. He thought it was disgusting. Elliott was game though. Brian and I passed too. I'm sure I got to do that at Grandpa's when I was younger so I didn't need another turn.
Honestly, this was one of a handful of events like this that I can remember that all four of us really loved. We will definitely go back next year......with backpacks to carry more stuff and with my true tastebuds to start the sampling again!
2 comments:
It was in the back of my head to go all weekend. After reading your post we will be ther efor sure next year.
If I remember correctly you pretty much had the same reaction as Ethan when we were at Grandpa's.
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