Eastern Market, Detroit, MI

You guys all know that I am all about Farmer's Markets. I just love the "close to the farmer" vibe and the community feel. I also love getting fresh, often organic, produce, meats and other homemade goodies. I've never really thought about my favorite markets but if I had to list my top three, it'd probably be (favorite first) 1. Ferry Plaza 2. Meridien Township (here in Okemos) and 3. Davis. We've also been to a bunch internationally or in other US cities, but one-time visits as tourists are not really the same (though the market in Vienna was awesome).

I was reading the Edible WOW one day and they had an article highlighting the Eastern Market in Detroit. It's the oldest continuously running market in the country. It started in 1841 and has been at its current location since 1891. Any given Saturday brings 45,000 people to the market. I think that must be a summer statistic because we were there on a Saturday and there were maybe a couple hundred people walking around. Granted, it was 20 degrees and the # of vendors must have been a fraction of what it is during the summer. Still, we persevered and wandered around for a bit. We picked up some eggs & produce (turns out we got some moldy oranges - and we wondered why they were so cheap). Prices were much lower than the Okemos market but the clientele was really different too. We heard several languages being spoken (Polish, Chinese, Ebonics, haha) which made it kind of a unique market experience.

They are currently undergoing a renovation which should last a few years but when it's complete, all the old brick sheds will be renovated (with heat!) and much nicer for farmers and patrons alike.

Definitely a Michigan experience. As we drove in (the closest highway is under construction), we saw decrepit old houses - some with no rooves, others with no windows, most uninhabited and depressing looking. I guess most people drive to the market because the immediate area didn't seem to have many inhabitants. Really truly, the most downtrodden, depressing, poorest place I've ever seen. Oakland looks like Malibu compared to this!