Farmer’s Markets

This appeared in the July 9, 2020 edition of The Fish Wrap

Have you checked out the local farmer’s market scene? It’s fun! It’s a great way to know where your food comes from and talk to the people who produced it. It also supports your community, keeps money local and helps local farmers build infrastructure. You get to talk to your neighbors and get inspired to garden or cook the interesting produce you find at the market. Ask questions that will help you start your own garden, craft project or canning day.

Besides wonderful seasonal produce, you can find crafts, baked goods and canned items like honey and jam. And you get to meet the interesting vendors! Here are some of the characters you see selling at the farmer’s market: barefoot hippies, serious horticulturists, people called by their faith to garden, geeky gardeners, quirky crafters, bakers and jammers, mystical beekeepers, bib-wearing sweet corn farmers, wild-eyed fruit growers, and genuine kooks of all kinds!

Here’s what we see from our side of the table. Lots of elderly folks come to the market, remembering and craving the lush gardens and delicious foods of their youths. Kids see vegetables in their natural state instead of in plastic bags. Children still hear the wisdom of their bodies and they have strong opinions about what to buy. The foods that catch their eyes are the foods that are most beneficial for them that day. We get great recipe ideas from market customers. This year, customers are making borscht from our beets and pesto from our carrot tops.

Visit a market and run into old and new friends while getting your dose of vitamin D from the sun. Be prepared that if you ask a vendor a question about their wares, they will talk your ear off. We are all so proud of what we are offering!