By Peter Lyons Hall
Lakeside Farmers Market Vendor, Flower & Dough’s owner, Meghan Leyden, was one of many vendors inundated by customers this past Saturday when they lined up to purchase her famous and ornately designed sour dough breads and pastries, shortly after the Celebrate America parade ended on the morning of July 5, 2025.
The Celebrate America Parade included a salute to the first responders—those who answered the call during the Jennings Creek Fire—and to pay tribute to the memory of Dariel Vasquez, the young firefighter who had tragically lost his life during the conflagration that had affected so much of the forest adjacent to Greenwood Lake and Sterling Forest last year. Village fire trucks, EMT vehicles and volunteers, and members of the police force numbered among the participants in the event which also included scouting groups and non-government organizations.
As the parade passed by the farmers market in Winstanley Park on Windermere Ave, residents and visitors alike were reminded of the fresh produce, fruit, cheese, fresh baked breads, and prepared foods (as well as artisan crafts) that are displayed each Saturday between 9AM and 1PM. But visitors this day were especially interested in what Flower & Dough had to offer. Owner and baker Meghan grows fresh flowers using organic practices and bakes delicious sourdough bread and other homemade goods. She emphasizes slow living, good soil, and an honest craft, with every bouquet and loaf made by hand with intention and in rhythm with the seasons.
The breads and pastries are exquisitely ornate in design. “As you know they’re all sourdough so it’s a slow fermentation process that takes about a day to create them. I put them in the fridge when I take them out to bake them and then do a dusting of flour. I take a Lane knife (which is basically a razor that’s in a little case) and I cut the designs into it right before I bake them,” explained Meghan. The cinnamon rolls are apparently another favorite of the customers because she frequently runs out!
Each week visitors are invited to stop by the Lakeside Farmers Market and enjoy what the vendors can offer. Unique produce, like curly and dinosaur kale, garlic scapes, fresh-picked berries, homemade cheeses, cage-free chicken and fresh eggs, homemade Greek yogurt and other specialties are just a few of the delicious items to be found at the market, which accepts SNAP participants as well as its own Market Bucks program. To learn more about this award-winning market, click on VillageofGreenwoodLake.gov/lakeside-farmers-market.
Photo credits: Breads: Meghan Leyden | Line of customers outside Flower & Dough, Peter Lyons Hall
