On Saturdays, nestled on Main Street, Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, is the Monroe Farmers Market. It is located on Courthouse Square just off the intersection of North 7th Street.

The Monroe Farmers Market has been around Stroudsburg since 1979, and this is the market’s 46th year. Unlike most farmers markets, the Monroe Farmers Market stays open during the winter months. From December to April, the market moves inside to the United Methodist Church on Main Street.

The farmer’s market is open from 8 a.m. to noon and is dog friendly. They also have a local live musician playing during the duration of the market.

There are many vendors to explore, like some that have locally grown fresh produce and local grass-fed meat, homemade dog biscuits, flowers, homemade coffee and fresh pickles. They even have a chair massage there: $10 for 10 minutes. There is a vendor for everyone.

Talking to some of the vendors, some of them have been at the farmers market for a long time and some are new. Farmhouse Flowers is an example of a new vendor. They have been coming to the farmers market for just two years now.

Farmhouse Flowers is a family-run business, and their flowers are locally grown from their farm in Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania.

“My mom, Jennifer, crafts these [flower bouquets] herself,” said Christina, Jennifer’s daughter, who was running the stand.

The flowers are $15 for each bouquet and wrapped in brown kraft paper. Usually, at the end of the farmers market, they are all sold out of flowers. So, if you would want to get a pick of the flower bouquets, as they have a wide variety, get there early around opening time.

Another vendor there is Mountain Ridge Farm. This business is a family and women-owned company that sells all natural soaps, soap scrubs, lip balms, lotions, beeswax and soy candles. They also sell local honey and honeycomb.

“We have nine different locations all over the Poconos and 200 hives,” said Carolina Licata.

Licata makes the soaps, candles and the other products on sale. Her father-in-law, Frank Licata, is the master beekeeper and harvests the honey. They started their company in 2015, and it has been a great success for them and their family.

The great thing about eating locally grown food or having all-natural products is people know what’s in it. When someone buys something from the store it has many ingredients that most cannot pronounce.

On most products sold at the famers market I saw ingredients fewer than 10 that I could pronounce. This is great for people with intense allergies or people looking for a healthier lifestyle.

The market does have more expensive products which can be difficult for university students. However, most produce at the market are on a bigger scale, so they are enough for multiple meals.

The farmers market makes it feel like people have become part of the community and brings a sense of belonging to university students as they are all away from home.