Farmers Market in Homburg

Fall is in the air and that means it’s time for farmers’ markets.  One of the best is, fortunately for me, at a nearby German town, Homburg.

But let’s get this straight!  Homburg (Home-berk) is not Hamburg (a major city in the far north).  A lot of people mispronounce the vibrant little city’s name, unable to get past the more famous location, so they end up with Hum-berg or Hem-berg, or Ham-berg, even without a six pack inside them.

Homburg is small, not tiny, and vibrant.  I’ve written often about the restaurants there and especially the fests.  Italian Fest. Turkish Fest.  Ceramic Fest. Wine Fest.  Beer Fest. Huge monthly flea market. And let’s not forget the Christmas market!

Today, Germany celebrates the reunification of East and West.  No doubt Homburg will have a celebration.  The city fathers and mothers know how to draw the crowds and keep the city bustlingly relevant.  Small and medium sized cities in the U.S. should take a lesson.  Downtowns around the country have dried up and in my opinion it’s not only the malls or the online retailors who made it happen.  To their credit, some smaller American cities have paid attention.  I honor them.  Make the downtowns grow again!!   Oh, if only I were king for a day.  Of course there could be some minor problems with that. Sobriety could work in there somewhere.

But back to Homburg’s Farmers’ Market (Bauernmarkt – Bough-earn-mark-t). The streets teemed with shoppers of all sorts.  Cheeses.  Wines. Beers. Sausages and smoked meats, both domesticated and wild. Hand knitted woolens. Vegetables of every description. Breads.  Hand made brushes for every purpose. Food carts. Outdoor cafes sprawl onto every walking street. I’m sure I’ve left something out. 

Stalls wound through the walking streets and all through the old market area.  As I stress in everything I write about German fests and markets, the crowds were jolly, friendly, courteous, and exceptionally well behaved.  Hey, there weren’t just Germans here, but folks from all across Europe, including those that settled here and visitors and vendors.

Ok, you get the picture.  Now it’s time to save a few thousand words and give you some photos so you can visually wander through the Bauernmarkt yourself!  See what you missed?  Still think that lawn care, laundry, and getting your car washed was so important?

Crêpes weren't the only French contributions!  Both sweet and savory!

Yes, the Italians provided luscious slivers of  Parma Ham

Fear not, autumn is festival time.  Check out the fests near you and leave the laundry for another day!

Another hint:  Next time there’s a fest in Homburg, go! And for goodness sakes learn how to pronounce it!