The Regulars: What It Means to Belong to a Farmers’ Market

There is something special about becoming a regular at the farmers’ market. At first, you might come for fresh produce, a favourite baked good, or simply because you have a Saturday morning free. After a number of visits, the market can become something more. A place where you know the faces, recognize the routines, and look forward to seeing what each week brings. 
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For one Horton Farmers’ Market regular, that sense of community is what keeps her coming back. She has been visiting Horton for 10 years, and her favourite part is seeing what changes from week to week. After a decade of Saturday mornings, she looks forward to seeing the people she has come to know along the way. 

That feeling is familiar to many farmers market regulars. One might come back because a favourite vendor remembers their name. Another might look forward to seeing which fruits and vegetables are coming into season. Someone else might stop by every Saturday simply because the market has become part of their weekend routine. Sometimes, it is the little things that make people return. 

It might be discovering a new vendor and becoming a regular customer. It might be chatting with a farmer about how their growing season is going, or asking about something you have never cooked before. It could be picking up the same loaf of bread every week, bringing kids along to make market mornings a family tradition, or running into a neighbour and catching up while roaming the stalls. 

Sometimes, you don’t even leave with what you came for. That is part of the charm. A farmers market offering a chance to slow down and see what is around you. The selection changes with the seasons, vendors bring new products, and there is always the possibility of finding something unexpected. A quick trip for local eggs can turn into a conversation with a vendor, a new favourite product, or a recommendation for what to try next. The experience itself becomes part of the reason to return. 

For another regular, the market is also about supporting the people behind the products. There is something different about buying from someone who grew the vegetables, baked the bread, made the preserves, or created the products sitting in front of you. Over time, those purchases can turn into relationships. You learn the stories behind what you buy, and the people behind the tables become familiar faces in your community. ​

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This summer, I have had the opportunity to experience Horton from another perspective of a summer student. Being part of the market has given me a closer look at the relationships that make it feel like more than a place to shop. I have seen how conversations, familiar faces, and small interactions build a sense of community over time.

A farmers market is ultimately about more than buying food. It is about knowing where your food comes from, supporting local people and businesses, and feeling connected to the place where you live. It is a space where vendors and shoppers can recognize one another, share stories, and become a part of each other’s routines. 

For one person, belonging to Horton means ten years of Saturday mornings, watching the market change with the seasons, and catching up with familiar vendors. For someone else, it means discovering a new favourite product or simply enjoying a slower start to the weekend. For a summer student like me, it means getting to see the community from behind the scenes and becoming a small part of something that brings people together. 

Maybe that is what makes a regular a regular. It is not simply how often you visit. It is the feeling that when you come back next week, there will be something familiar waiting for you - and always something new to discover. ​

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Kate Hanslip, Summer Marketing Assistant

Kate is a recent social sciences graduate from Western University and currently a marketing student at Fanshawe College. Having grown up in St. Thomas, she brings a love of history and storytelling to her work where she enjoys highlighting the people, businesses, and stories that shape the community. In her free time, she enjoys watching movies, exploring local trails, and experimenting in the kitchen.