The Ogden Farmers Market

Even though Ogden is really only an hour north of Salt Lake, I have never spent much time up there. In fact, I have probably only spent a total of five hours in Ogden in my whole life and two of those were because I was lost on my way to Pineview Reservoir. After complaining that the Salt Lake Farmers Market was too crowded, my friend Kellie suggested that I meet up with her and try the Ogden one. I thought I’d combine the outing with something else I’ve been wanting to do – ride the FrontRunner train. I looked up the schedule and planned to catch the 8:57 a.m. train. I got to the train station at 8:59 and it was gone. Oh well, I’ll have to save the ride for another time. I drove instead, met up with Kellie, and we went to the market. It’s located on Historic 25th Street in Ogden. It was a smaller market than in Salt Lake, but it was still quite crowded. There were people three deep trying to get the best tomatoes and sweet corn.

Kellie picked up some veggies and we both purchased a delicious balsamic vinegar, and then we decided to take a little tour of Historic 25th Street. It has lots of great old signs.

It’s full of cute stores and restaurants, too. We ducked into this vintage shop that was chalk full of interesting things. It was also pretty crowded, which is good for me. I love stores like that, but I always feel really awkward shopping in them if I’m the only customer. I feel all this pressure to buy something or make small talk and usually I don’t want to do either. With so many other people around, though, I could just look at my leisure and take pictures instead of buy things. I figured out back in 2007 that photographic consumption is usually just as satisfying as actually purchasing something.

At the west end of the street is the historic Union Station.

And check out the mural with is strapping pioneers being so industrious.

You’ll also find the Utah Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum inside the train station.

We wandered in to find a whole lot of paintings of Native Americans and cowboys and animals and other western-type things. You know, when I was at the Metropolitan Museum of Art last month, I spent some time looking at the Remington paintings of horses and cowboys and other western-type things, and I loved them, so I know that I’m not just prejudiced against the subject matter. But I have to say that the art at the Cowboy Museum is not really what I would hang on my walls. But you can decide for yourself.

I mean, why not have a huge painting of a gun in a holster?

Or perhaps you like things a little more intergalactic?

Nah, I’ll take the Remington, though. Any day.

The museum also had displays of old rodeo memorabilia. I was much more interested in that. Look at the old drums and costumes!

When you exit the station, you get a nice view up 25th street.

Kellie and I ended the morning with a delicious lunch at Bistro 258. They put a slice of strawberry in their water; it looks so pretty, refreshing, and dainty.

And if you’re ever there, you should probably save room for dessert and get the fuzzy peaches. That is, if you like fried peaches with a caramel sauce and a scoop of haagen-dazs vanilla ice cream and mango sorbet. Mmm… I might have to go back to Ogden soon just for that. And of course, to explore some more.