Friday, February 20, 2009

Webster Flea and Produce Market


Each Monday the little town of Webster comes to life in a big way...with the huge Webster Flea Market, which is the center point of life here in this otherwise slumbering town.

We have been told that it is among the top three largest Markets in the nation, and we have no trouble believing this...it is by a long shot, the largest flea market we have ever seen. On a 50 acre site, with over 1500 vendors, and being over 60 years old puts it "up there" in the hierarchy of flea markets for certain! At any rate, it's big, and we go most every week to buy our fresh fruits and veggies for a pittance, and we still have not seen more than half of the vendor offerings!

There is always an abundance of fresh produce, brought up from nearby Plant City, and it is downright cheap! To say that we are spoiled by the selection, quality and price of the goods would be an understatement....we will really miss all the fresh goodies we've been eating!


Especially the strawberries, which are in season from January until the end of February!


And the plentiful, cheap and oh-so-sweet oranges and Ruby Red Grapefruits!


The pineapples are yummy too, but we never buy the apples because we prefer the Virginia apples from home!


We've been eating strawberries every day, on our cereal, yogurt, in Strawberry Shortcake and on ice cream!!

I am constantly reminded how Mom loved her strawberries in January and February, when they were least plentiful and such a treat to eat.....and so we enjoy these truly sweet and succulent berries during the winter months!

And also many fresh salads and asparagus, squash, cabbage, blueberries and grapes...veggies almost like the markets in Rio where we shopped with Mary K...just more familiar to us!

Of course, fruits and veggies are only a tiny part of the flea market...they have every possible variety of "flea" imaginable (otherwise known as "junk"! :) )

The first week that we visited the market, while strolling down one of the "antique" (a.k.a. "old junk") aisles, I spotted a little Robin's Egg Blue stoneware pitcher just like Mom brewed her iced tea in for most of my life. Having only ever seen one other pitcher like it, I bought it from the vendor, came home and promptly made iced tea!

The much sought after little blue pitcher!

Fruit or treasures, you can choose your pleasure at the Webster Flea Market every Monday!

4 comments:

Wanda said...

the blue pitcher brings back so many memories! Strawberries also bring back memories of Mama and also how much she enjoyed getting them for Tiff. She never failed to remind me that Tiff loved strawberries! Thanks for a walk down memory lane - I love traveling thru your eyes - love you WB

squawmama said...

We love Webster Flea Market and go there whenever we RV at Blueberry Hill in Bushnell... Have you ever eaten at the Butter Bean Restaurant there at the flea market? Great Food! Sounds like you had a great day there...

(((HUGS)))
Donna

Bob and Molly said...

Oh yes, Donna, we have eaten at the Speckled Butter Bean and it is indeed very good! Good country cooking! :)
And Wanda, Tiff does love those strawberries, with the fresh whipped heavy cream with sugar that Grannie always made....oh, that makes me wish she could make some for us!! Big hugs!

Jenny Johnson said...

What a sweet blog Molly and thanks for sharing the special memories of your mom....my mother canned peaches and when you ate them you thought you were eating fresh peaches. Even the smell of a peach brings memories of my mother. I also have a measuring cup she used to measure biscuits every morning. Thanks for the memories.