Farmer’s Markets
By Cindy Naas
I love this time of year – driving out in the country looking for fresh produce is one of the real pleasures of late summer and early fall.
What I love even more is going to a real old-fashioned farmer’s market.
The variety of produce can be mind-boggling, and when you add in the fresh eggs, homemade pies and bread, organic meats and artisan cheeses, it is a feast for the senses.
The Veggies – A farmer’s market is one place I always look for inspiration for next year’s garden. I always have a little notebook with me, and when I discover a new variety or even kind of fruit or vegetable that I like, I add it to my list of new additions for a future garden.
This year, I found new golden beets at the St. Paul farmer’s market in Minnesota, and am determined to grow my own. They were absolutely perfect roasted with a little salt and olive oil fresh from the oven. Sadly, I only bought one bunch so they disappeared too fast. Next year, they will get star billing in one of my vegetable beds.
Jams and Preserves – Recently I visited the St. Paul farmer’s market, a large market filled with the most amazing assortment of items. In addition to those delicious beets mentioned above, I also found several tables of jams, honey, various preserves and pickles, and my current favorite, home-made kim chee. The blend of fermented ginger, garlic, hot peppers and various veggies was wonderful. Also tasty was the blackberry-chipotle jam I sampled. Prices will be high for such good quality items, but usually worth every penny.
Cheeses – Today at the Royal Oak farmer’s market, there were 12 different vendors selling homemade cheese. Everything from domestic Parmesan to organic Swiss was available. much of it made from raw milk. Many of the cheese sellers also had fresh-churned butter. Those tables are definitely not going to help my diet this week!
Fruits - It’s almost apple season, and the first few early varieties are starting to appear. Right now I am enjoying the Ginger Golds, but there were almost too many heirloom apple varieties to choose just one. There are also still fall raspberries, the real stars of the fresh fruit at this time of year, and the air in the market was heady with the scent of fresh raspberries and basil.
Organic Meat - Everything from organic chicken to bison, emu and ostrich steaks were available today, along with a huge assortment of freshly made organic sausage of all sorts. A farmer’s market is an excellent place to buy organic free range eggs, too.
Flowers – I can never resist buying a bouquet or two to take home. I always plant enough flowers for cut bouquets and then enjoy watching them in the garden too much to pick them. Buying fresh flowers solves that problem. Today, I also bought a new variety of sempervivum, better known as ‘hens and chicks’, a plant species I collect.
Walking through the rows of produce and talking with the farmers who grew it is a real treat especially for those of us who tend so carefully to our small city gardens. It’s one more way to make sure we stay in tune with the weather, the earth and our community. Today one farmer had posted a sign which said:
“If every family spent just $10 a week of their grocery money buying local produce, that would mean that an additional $37 million would be kept in our local economy each week”.
Wow - that means a lot to me to support our farmers. Buying local from farmer’s markets and roadside stands also gives me the opportunity to feed my children as healthily as possible, since my small garden can’t grow all our produce.
Tonight, we’re having butternut squash gnocchi served with local Parmesan cheese, fresh basil and fresh butter, roasted red peppers, salad of simple sliced tomatoes, and perhaps a fresh peach cobbler. Everything was grown within 25 miles of my house and is just bursting with freshness. Take a trip to your local farmer’s market and be amazed by the treasures you’ll find!
September 29th, 2008 at 1:06 pm
yea i agree with you going to those old farmers markets are the best the fruit there is awsome and so are the vegies
September 29th, 2008 at 10:51 pm
We have two very fine farmers’ markets in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota. Not only can we find fresh vegetables and fruits, we can also get quality meats, cheeses, bee products (honey, pollen, and wax), and beautiful locally-grown flowers.
September 29th, 2008 at 10:52 pm
BTW, I believe that the term is spelled “farmers’”, not “farmer’s”, since there are multiple farmers involved.
September 30th, 2008 at 7:18 pm
Yes, the St. Paul Farmers’ Market is remarkable. There is no better way to spend a Saturday morning during the summer.
And, my bad! Yes, it should be ‘farmers’ market’. Thank you for stopping by, Mark.