One of the best things about living in Lancaster County is having access to the abundance of produce that springs forth from the fertile soil in our region. There are many places to find that abundance from your backyard garden to roadside stands to local grocery stores. But the one place that has been here longer than any other, to provide us with fresh fruits and veggies, is the oldest continuously operating farmer’s market in the United States, the Lancaster Central Market. Farmers have been driving their goods to the center of Lancaster city for close to 300 years to “market”. The actual market building is not that old (1889), but it is still imbued with a sense of history and tradition. The market has evolved, but it is still the same at its core: a gathering place to take in the best of what Lancaster County has to offer.

What is great about the current version of Central Market is that it sells much more that fruits and vegetables. It also sells jams, long johns, flowers, pasta, sandwiches, juice, bread, seafood, coffee, milk, candy, gifts, etc., etc., etc. But it sells too, a vibe. A community feel-good feeling, a say hello to neighbors and meet new friends feeling, an I’m-so-glad-I got-up-early-on-Saturday (or Tuesday or Friday) morning feeling.

…we’ll be offering a variety of wobbly, collagen-rich, healthy bone broths, sumptuous and flavorful stocks to add complexity to your favorite dishes…

And now (trumpets blaring), it is also going to sell The Crowded Kitchen Fresh Stocks & Staples! We have secured one of the coveted stands in the venerable Lancaster Central Market. We cannot wait to get in there and customize our booth. Right now, because of all the COVID-19 restrictions we’re not able to get permits to build to our specifications, but rest assured, once those impediments are lifted, we’ll be building out a great market stand that we hope will visually impress you with clean and simple lines. To culinarily impress you, we’ll be offering a variety of wobbly, collagen-rich, healthy bone broths, sumptuous and flavorful stocks to add complexity to your favorite dishes, and soups that we concoct in our production kitchen on N. Plum St,, that highlight our stocks. Our hope is to open your palate to the wondrous things you might be able to do at home with our products. Our broths and stocks will be sold frozen for your later use or hot-to-go, tapped right on the spot as a ready to enjoy or use in the next day or so.

It is an honor and a privilege to join the established stand-holders who have served both our local community and visitors in this great venue for many years. We are overjoyed to be included. One more part of our dream for The Crowded Kitchen is being fulfilled and we can’t wait to have you stop by stand #5 and try a cup of our slowly simmered broth next time you are at the market. We’re confident that you’ll be amazed!

Our beef bone broth gently simmering for very loooooong time!