Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - While walking under the archway of Puerto Vallarta’s Old Town Farmers’ Market, nostalgia began to set in. As a young American girl living in a mid-Western state, my mother would take me to the local farmers’ market to stock up for the week.

We would buy freshly cut garden vegetables and brown eggs from Helen, the sweet lady who owned a farm in a neighboring county. As an adult living in the Pacific Northwest, I would take my family to visit the Saturday farmers’ market, stocking up on organic blackberry jam, homegrown tomatoes, Oregon wine and bouquets of colorful tulips.

Moving from region to region and now to another country, I have found that farmers’ markets have kept their charming appeal and have maintained their mission: to offer seasonally fresh produce, picked at the peak of flavor, and to provide wholesale prices while promoting the community.

For over 10,000 years, farmers’ markets all over the world reflect their local culture, economy, agriculture and craftsmanship. Many speculate that the first markets began in Turkey and what we now refer to as the Middle East. As farms flourished, producing more than enough crops for a family, farmers would congregate in the town square and sell their abundance as a normal part of village life.

The idea quickly caught on and throughout the centuries, farmers’ markets have been supplying consumers with tasty fruits, vegetables, meats and dairy products. Depending upon the area, visitors may find a few booths or entire street blocks devoted to the sale of quality produce and specialty items such as handmade bath supplies, honey, coffee, baked goods, as well as arts and crafts. Often, free-range meats and natural dairy products can be purchased while cooking demonstrations and local entertainment is provided.

One cannot help but compare a farmers’ market to the big-time presence of commercialized grocery super stores. Although food can be purchased in any season with the convenience of “one stop shopping”, many farmers’ market patrons support foods that are sold at wholesale prices and are grown and harvested in environmentally friendly ways.

With growing support of natural and organic products, the popularity of farmers’ markets is once again on the rise. Consumers are interested and perhaps even passionate about the goods that they purchase. This is especially true at the Old Town Farmers’ Market where their motto is “make it, bake it, grow it.”

Taking in the vast array of sights, sounds and smells at the farmers’ market was a real treat for me on Saturday. Visitors were delighted with their new treasures, tasty baked goods and the casual atmosphere that the market had to offer.

Vendors who sell their handmade arts and crafts, jewelry and accessories are happy to welcome a visitor to their booths. They love to explain the process that was used to make their items. Homemade hummus, dressings and salsa, gourmet chocolates and of course, fresh produce and flowers are always available to accompany the next family meal.

When you have a free moment this Saturday, stop in for some freshly squeezed orange juice or a mug of hot, gourmet coffee. Free sampling is always encouraged and an outdoor eating area is provided for the enjoyment of Thai food, homemade tamales and other delightful treats.

Visit with Canadian author, Wanda St.Hilaire, who writes about “her insights learned through the high peaks of adventure and love and the dark valleys of illness and heartbreak.” Fall in love and adopt a cat brought by PuRR Project, a no-kill feline rescue shelter. Learn how you can get involved with them and other local charities represented at the market from week to week.

Children will especially love the Old Town Farmers’ Market because of its family-friendly atmosphere and assortment of treasures that appeal to youths. Girls will have fun going through the endless strings of beads and homemade purses while the boys will love the colorfully painted wooden toys and sound makers. English and Spanish are spoken and the people are always willing to answer questions about their products and their beloved Mexico.

The Old Town Farmers’ Market is open on Saturdays from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm through June 4th and is located in the Paradise Community Center across from Coco’s Restaurant. The address is Pulpito #127, Colonia Emiliano Zapata and the market is free to the public. For more information, click HERE or visit OldTownFM.com. Happy shopping!