Sunday is the day i like to show you some of the places that we love to visit, some of them over and over again. Today’s Favorite Place is the Farmers Market.
The planting of vegetables is something that I inherited. My dad was a master gardener who grew all sorts of delicious tasting vegetables while teaching his children how to make compost and treat the dirt with great respect. So as I grew into adulthood, I always had some sort of garden even if it was only in pots on the apartment deck. When we retired and began traveling the country I had to find something else to satisfy that fresh vegetable urge every summer. The solution was to buy from farmers.
Sometimes it takes some creativity to find the farmers with good fruits and vegetables. As we travel we will occasionally see a truck by the side of the road selling produce. Having gardening experience helps in these situations. I know, for example, if I see peaches or corn for sale in May, this is not local produce.
The past month we have been in New Albany, Indiana visiting with our youngest daughter. Since we used to live here, I knew where to go. This Farmers Market is small compared to many around the country but I like it that way. The farmers are fun to visit with. They willingly tell you the names of the various varieties of their vegetables and what is coming ripe in the garden this next week.
Two vegetables that are my favorites from a garden vs. grocery store are corn-on-the-cob and tomatoes. This farmer had white corn that was crisp and sweet and milky – just perfect.
Some farmers like to display their veggies is a stylish manner. I can appreciate that. What I reallty care about though is when were the vegetables and/or fruits picked and the flavor. I’ve noticed a trend towards selling other items at various Farmers Markets. For instance, at this market someone had a table set up with handmade quilts and beaded necklaces.
I’m a little old-fashioned. I like the simple table with boxes of fruits and vegetables and a friendly farmer who will tell me how this year’s crop compares to last year’s and promises that next week the summer apples will be just right.
Not the same as getting my hands in the dirt and planting my own seeds but it’s a wonderful way to reap the benefits. If you have a Farmers Market near you, I encourage you to visit it. But you’ll have to hurry. The season is almost over.
Join me next week when we’ll visit another one of our Favorite Places.
I a HUGE fan of the farmers market — I go faithfully every single week.
I love farmer’s markets — can’t beat the freshness and the prices. (lovely pictures)
I love the farmer’s market as well! I am the opposite of you, however, in that my family never gardened and I truly have a black thumb (I could kill a silk plant), so for me the farmer’s market is a chance to experience that gardening aspect of life that I would never otherwise have the opportunity to do.
Great post!!
I love farmers markets. Still miss the one we had years ago now, when we lived in a bigger city, though; in addition to produce and flowers, we were able to get eggs and meat there!
I love farmer’s markets! I need to make more of an effort to go. We have some great ones around here, but none of them are very close.
I love the Farmers’ Market too. I think some farmers are having to sell quilts, etc to earn a living, sadly enough.
Farmers Markets are one of my favorite things! I try to time trips to other cities when they have them (which usually means including a Saturday). And I love seeing the other wares as much as the food, which usually is gorgeous to look at whether you want to buy any or not. Thanks for the great pictures!
I enjoy the fresh produce at our farmer’s market and usually go every Saturday. Ours lasts until the end of October. The only place left I can get hickory nuts for Christmas baking too.
I really like going to the farmers market. But I wish I could get in with a good co-op where I pay so much and have a basket of random fruit and veggies to pick up every week. My sister had this once and I always liked the idea of having something every week.