The sound of energetic blues from the band “Mississippi River” electrified my ears as I walked around the Clayton Farmer’s Market on a chilly Saturday morning. The products the vendors displayed in their white tents ranged from fresh, wild trout to handmade soap made from goat’s milk.

Deb Henderson, the Clayton Farmer’s Market manager describes this place as a festival. The Clayton Farmer’s Market is located in a parking lot just west of Straub’s and goes from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Saturdays during the summer and fall months.

The Clayton Farmer’s Market is unique to other large farmer’s markets like the historic Soulard Farmer’s Market or the Kirkwood Farmer’s Market because it is a producer or a grower-only market. This means that the people who come and sell at the Clayton Farmer’s Market have to grow or make their food.

Estie Cruz-Curoe of “Del Carmen” greets me with a warm smile and hello. She sells Cuban black beans uses the same recipe her mother used when she was growing up in Cuba. The slow-cooked black beans are made in small batches with traditional Cuban spices. Cruz-Curoe sells a variety of black bean products like black bean dip and black bean hummus.

She first started selling black beans at the Clayton Farmer’s Market, and her success led her to sell at other farmer’s markets.

“Selling at the Clayton Farmer’s Market is a great experience,” she said.  “You get to meet all kinds of people and you also get to talk to your customers, which is very nice.”

Joy Stinger, also a vendor at the market, sells honey that is harvested in her backyard in Clayton. She also makes candles and ornaments out of beeswax. Some of the molds that Stinger use to make beeswax ornaments are from Czechoslovakia and Germany.

In addition to selling products and produce, the Clayton Farmer’s Market has a play area for children. This area has an assortment of hula hoops, hacky sacks and a badminton set.

There are also special events like zucchini car races. The cars have wooden wheels which are attached to the zucchini with metal nails. Kids can decorate these cars and race them. Henderson said that this event is one of her favorites.

In the end the Clayton Farmer’s Market is a passion for those that work there. “I enjoy the opportunity to work with small family farmers, food entrepreneurs and artists who are “incubating” their businesses at the market,” Henderson said. “It’s exciting to see dreams come to life and grow.”