| Farmer's markets
Posted: 6/30/2008 9:52:01 PM | I just got back from a weekend trip where I stopped at a GREAT farmer's market on the way home. They had some awesome, straight from the field , fresh strawberries, peaches, corn, blueberries, and butter beans (which I can't get here at all). They also had the BEST variety of (non-alcoholic) ciders I've ever seen anywhere. Peach, blueberry, strawberry, two kinds of wild grape...amazingly enough, no apple.
So my question is, what things do you look forward to seasonally, or buy from, out of the way sources instead of the usual grocery stores? What yummy unusual things do you find at farm stands and other places that you will never see in a grocery store?
In my case, the aforementioned butter beans, which are like baby limas, but not. Grew up on them at my grandparents in North Carolina right out of the backyard garden, but you will almost never see them here in Virginia, even though we're only one state away. Also sugar plums, which are about a size somewhere between a marble and a golf ball, sweet as anything, and only have a season about a month long. | |
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| Farmer's markets
Posted: 6/30/2008 10:01:51 PM | Good thread vbxtc.
It's very fruitful (pun not ... ---oh whatever) for us to frequent farmers markets because alot of our produce is shipped in. It may be the way of the future nation wide with the rising costs of doing biz.
Lychee nuts for me. Mangoes too but I can usually get those off any mango tree this time of year
Unfortunately I'm planning on doing the low carb thing in the near future, so no fruit.
Kale and spinach then. | |
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Mr H2O
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Joined: 10/31/2006
Msg: 3 | |
| Farmer's markets
Posted: 7/1/2008 12:20:36 AM | As logistics cost rise ,I think you'll see increased popularity in local farmers markets.
For me I like to see things like purple peppers.
They take longer to grow , hence less yield per plant.
Allowing the peppers to remain on the plant long enough to ripen to a bright color
signals the plant that its job of reproducing through seed has been accomplished,
eliminating the need to produce additional fruit.
The young, immature pepper is usually green.
By picking peppers while they are still green, the seed does not mature,
and so the plant responds by producing more fruit. | |
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| Farmer's markets
Posted: 7/1/2008 12:30:20 AM | I used to visit the "jam lady" weeky at our little market. I swear she could make jam out of any thing, she sold it in baby food jars for a twoonie ($2), I think it was... banana jam, apple butter, strawberry, blueberry, etc, etc.
The other thing I used to love at road side stands/markets; besides the best produce... is fresh local honey! | |
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| Farmer's markets
Posted: 7/1/2008 3:47:51 AM | Hey OP! I live just a 5 minute drive from one of our town's biggest farmers markets and I love going there! I buy farm fresh eggs, potatoes, tomatoes and specialty cheeses all so very fresh. They also sell wonderful cuts of fresh meat. When pickling time comes around, I head straight there to buy bushels of baby cukes, peppers and onions. Nothing better than the farm market in the summer I tell you! | |
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| Farmer's markets
Posted: 7/1/2008 6:31:11 AM | Fresh Corn on the cob... I love it when the corn season is here... We will have just corn for supper... with lots of butter.
Tomatoes
Peaches
We eat so much of it you can wait a year for the seasons to come around before you crave it again...
~Charmed~ | |
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| Farmer's markets
Posted: 7/1/2008 7:16:06 AM | Sure, the fruits & vegs at the farmers market are great. But I go there for the smiles!
Count the number of people smiling in a grocery store. No count them at a farmers market. Its just such a pleasant place to shop. | |
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| Farmer's markets
Posted: 7/1/2008 7:50:57 AM | | Herbs, strawberries, tomato plants, the odd baked goods...water plants for the ponds... peaches, plums, tomatoes...anything fresh/in season! | |
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| Farmer's markets
Posted: 7/1/2008 8:54:04 AM | Our farmer's market is a wonderful social gathering. Musicians, artisans, flowers, flea market, baked goods, preserves, maple syrup, garden and orchard produce, samples samples and more samples, children in buggies, grandparents, shopping bags, weathered faces, farmer's tans, aromas, laughter. It is a great way to spend an hour.
I love August for corn on the cob and peaches! | |
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| Farmer's markets
Posted: 7/1/2008 10:44:34 AM | | My daughter's favorite find at the local farmers market is the baked goods, and the fresh fruit... | |
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| Farmer's markets
Posted: 7/1/2008 1:41:33 PM | HERE IN JERSEY, WE HAVE MANY FARMERS MARKETS, IN FACT I JUST CAME FROM ONE IN EWING. IT HAS ALL KINDS OF FRESH ITEMS THERE, SUCH AS TOMATOES, CORN, STRAWBERRY, BLUEBERRY, PEACHES, HONEY, PIES, BREAD AND CAKES......IT'S ALSO NEXT TO THE HALO FARMS, SO U CAN PICK UP FRESH MILK, EGGS, CHEESE AND ICE-CREAM,
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| Farmer's markets
Posted: 7/1/2008 2:16:01 PM | It is true, that the atmosphere of a market is unique and can’t be found anywhere else.
I love the seasonal fresh fruit and vegetables, but for me it has always been more from my family’s own private farmer markets.
My grandparents always had currants…boy were they sour but it was fun to pick them with Grandma.
They also had grape vines at the side of their house.
They got the whole family started on freshly picked strawberries, but just add a bit of sugar and some rhubarb.
Also, they started it and then my mother continued it, peas. I love it around this time of year, coming in a week or so, fresh peas in the pod. I haven’t really been able to find them anywhere else but my grandparent’s garden and then my mom’s garden. I love to pod them just as much as eat them. By the end there are none to freeze because I have eaten all of them.
Not too long to wait now…my favourite!
Then there are always raspberries, cherries (if the birds don’t get them all before we do that is), eldaberries (which we used to try to sell in little bags at the side of the road. Other kids had lemonade stands but we had something different. Unfortunately we lived on a fairly fast moving highway and so people never really stopped.), and then by the end of summer more, peaches, corn on the cob (I love to husk corn as well as pod peas. It is a fun thing for me to do.), apples and blue grapes/Concord.
My uncle and aunt lived on a farm and had an apple orchard. There were no apples anywhere like their apples…the sourer the better.
(Sourer not a word…oh well.)
It is also true that it is a good thing, in a way, that these things only come around once a year. It almost makes me love them more, with the strong anticipation beforehand. I appreciate it all so much more when I’ve had to wait all through the long cold winter for the fresh stuff that comes and goes before you know it.
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| Farmer's markets
Posted: 7/2/2008 1:27:22 PM | Where in Virginia did you go shopping? North or South?
I'm in Prince William county . . .Mt Olympus berry farm in Carmel Church VA came up to the local farmers' market and had the greatest blackberries. Fantastic! | |
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| Farmer's markets
Posted: 7/2/2008 1:30:23 PM | | Here in Calgary, they have just opened a third farmers market. I go to the "big" one on a former army base (Currie Barracks). Wonderful place for fresh food! | |
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| Farmer's markets
Posted: 7/2/2008 3:50:53 PM | The local farmer's market is more of a country fair thing...glitzy crap..flavoured oils etc. Great herbs though.
I would love to do the 100 mile diet thing...where you purchase only foods grown within 100 miles of your home. Price of gas is preventing me from doing this right now, but I would support local farmers.
The best buy for me right now is the local Organic Food Delivery company...they have a 'Farmers Market type' offer on Sat mornings... I guess they either order in extra foods over their regular custom deliveries or it is stuff left over from the previous week. The prices are good...the food is fresh. | |
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| Farmer's markets
Posted: 7/2/2008 4:51:42 PM | | fortunately, i live in the heart of amish country. their specialties include strawberries, string beans, sweet corn, peaches, cherries, plums and honest-to-goodness homemade potato chips. sometimes i can get their chickens, which never consume synthetic drugs and run around outside doing chicken stuff. you won't find better-tasting chicken! | |
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| Farmer's markets
Posted: 7/2/2008 5:17:32 PM | | My God, people! I read every message..and now...just after eating my supper...my mouth is salivating for some of those wonderful produce ideas you shared with us. Being a very "City girl"...when I was first married...I wanted to "learn" to put up fruit and vegetables like my neighbor lady did. Making strawberry preserves was about the only thing I did other than chow chow..and ice box pickles. I live in Omaha, Nebraska..and you can't drive very far without hitting a corn field. Nothing....nothing is as good as bi-color sweet corn....fresh peaches...(cobbler here I come) We have three HUGE farmers markets here...and Saturdays are full with travelling from one to the other. God forbid we miss out on a great bargain. There are also craft items...and baked goods...but I'm trying NOT to indulge in them for a while. Great ideas everyone...and darlin...thos butter beans sound absolutely fantastic! Hugs...Sandy | |
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| Farmer's markets
Posted: 7/2/2008 8:30:08 PM | ActionSmiles, the market in question was in Currituck, North Carolina at the Morris Farm Market. They do have a web site if you're interested. I was on the way home from the Outer Banks. Looks like you're just down the road in PWC. Locally, Westmoreland Berry Farm brings produce to several different markets during the week. They also have a site. I know they're at the Arlington Courthouse farmers market on Saturdays. Speaking of seasonal treats, Westmoreland carries Tayberries, a cross between a blackberry and a raspberry. Yummy! I believe we're at the very end of their season now. I'm usually at Eastern Market on Capital Hill on Saturdays, a great place for fruits and veggies from Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. If you happen to see me wandering around up there, say hi.
Sandebabe, butter beans are awesome! If you're lucky enough to find them (baby limas can be substituted, but it's a distant second, lol!) just put in a casserole dish with lots of smoked meat (I use pork neckbones), some onion if you like, cover with water and place in the oven at 300 for 2-3 hours, until tender. Serve over rice. | |
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| Farmer's markets
Posted: 7/2/2008 9:09:16 PM | | I LIKE CRAB,,,,FRESH SEAFOOD........ | |
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| Farmer's markets
Posted: 7/2/2008 9:45:07 PM | It's a bit of a drive for me to get to the Farmer's Markets. But worth it when you are planning a special meal. Lucky, there is a local egg ranch, so I always get farm fresh eggs, and they have a garden there and sell their veges along with their eggs. So, what ever has just been picked I always pick up and plan my menus around them.
Just had some amazing grilled italian squash.. Yum!!!
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| Farmer's markets
Posted: 7/4/2008 12:15:34 AM | | I love the fresh tomatos from late July (early birds) thru Sept just before the frost when the beefsteaks come in - those are yummy! | |
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| Farmer's markets
Posted: 7/4/2008 1:35:32 AM | If you go to Santa Barbara, CA, you'll find roadside stands selling the largest, most flavorful avocados you've ever seen. You don't get these in the markets, because they are likely exported or used in restaurants. The fact of the matter is that this is how they really grow and taste in the greater SB area, noted as one of the leading avocado crop centers in the U.S. The dinky ones that are almost all seed and cost $3 each in grocery stores are usually from Mexico or South America. The profit margin must be huge for those fruit. Keep in mind that mature avocado trees produce many bushels of fruit each, so you wonder why they're so expensive (same with lemons). It's a conspiracy, I tell you . | |
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