What could be better than strolling out of your office on a warm summer day than freshly harvested produced, flowers, prepared lunch food, and more? On Wednesday, June 5, the North Union Farmers Market opened two summer lunch-time markets at the Cleveland Clinic main campus and Cleveland Clinic in Beachwood. The markets start at 10:30 a.m. and are open until 1:30 p.m. The market at the Cleveland Clinic main campus will remain open every Wednesday through Oct. 16 and the Beachwood market will remain open until Aug. 16.

It was great to see so many different people visit the market and purchase fresh food. The goal of these two specific North Union Farmers Markets is to bring fresh, local food and produce to the patients, visitors, and employees of the Cleveland Clinic. The markets allow for healthy lunch choices as well as an opportunity to shop for groceries during a lunch break or stroll from one building to another.

Although there were many great choices, my favorite items at the market were the newly in-season sweet strawberries from Woolf Farms and the delicious turkey burger with rhubarb ketchup from La Campagna. All vendors at the market are certified-producers only and many of the prepared food stands choose to use produce from other farms at the market. The North Union Farmers Market aims to promote environmental, economic, and health benefits of local foods by connecting certified producers to consumers in northeast Ohio.

For more information on the North Union Farmers Market or market schedules visit: http://northunionfarmersmarket.org/. Also visit the Cleveland Garlic Festival for more information about the NUFM fifth annual festival fundraiser: www.clevelandgarlicfestival.org/

Each week we use this space to give each of our interns a chance to reflect on their internship experiences. MaryKate is a student at Ohio University. Placement: North Union Farmers Market