Favorite Farmers' Market Item?

Skyhooks said:

More than likely, nearly everyone on RFC has access to a local farmers'
market where they can shop for seasonal items. What is your favorite
item(s) from a farmers' market and what draws you there?

At this time of the year, the wonderful young peas. Their season is
really over by now, but I was able to find them for the past two months.
They are as sweet as sugar. My problem was that I ate so many when I
shelled them, I never had enough except as an addition to some other
dish, such as peas in the green salad or in potato salad or as a side
dish with sauteed onions and mushrooms.

"margaret suran" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Skyhooks said:

More than likely, nearly everyone on RFC has access to a local farmers'
market where they can shop for seasonal items. What is your favorite
item(s) from a farmers' market and what draws you there?

At this time of the year, the wonderful young peas. Their season is
really over by now, but I was able to find them for the past two months.
They are as sweet as sugar. My problem was that I ate so many when I
shelled them, I never had enough except as an addition to some other dish,
such as peas in the green salad or in potato salad or as a side dish with
sauteed onions and mushrooms.

This week I brought home some sugar snap peas, mixed salad greens and goat's
milk cheese, along with (oh, I am a sucker) a wee packet of pink Himalayan
salt (!) and a bar of goat's milk soap. Oh, and one enormous deep red peony,
for the soul. My market is in Copley Square, Boston, twice a week, and has a
great mix of true farm produce and almost elegant bread and pastries.

Felice

Skyhooks said...

Quoted message said:

More than likely, nearly everyone on RFC has access to a local farmers'
market where they can shop for seasonal items. What is your favorite
item(s) from a farmers' market and what draws you there?

My farmers' markets are quite boring, just aisles of fruit and veggies unlike
the fashionable street markets offering plenty of everything.

I always get a bag of seedless grapes. Usually apples, basil (if the price is
right) and avocados.

Andy

In article <[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

More than likely, nearly everyone on RFC has access to a local farmers'
market where they can shop for seasonal items. What is your favorite
item(s) from a farmers' market and what draws you there?

EVERYTHING draws me there, and I have to be careful not to overbuy. Some
top favorites:

Tomatoes of course
Farm eggs
Locally raised pork
Mrs. Ruth's sweet potato pies
Celebrity dairy goat cheese
Unusual potato varieties

--
Peter Aitken

Skyhooks said:

More than likely, nearly everyone on RFC has access to a local
farmers' market where they can shop for seasonal items. What is your
favorite item(s) from a farmers' market and what draws you there?

There are so many items, it's difficult to list! We try to go to our local
produce stand at least twice a month because their veggies are fresh,
cheaper and prettier than at the grocery store.

We usually get: vidalia onions, various colored bell peppers, green beans,
cucumbers, mushrooms, tomatoes (vine ripened), avocado, squash and corn.
Then, depending upon what fruit is in season, we may pick up strawberries,
blueberries or cantaloupe.

Our produce stand is called Shannon's and it's about.......15 minutes away.
In addition to fruits and veggies, they sell things like local honey, local
jams, locally made chutneys, fertilizers, herb plants and decorative plants
and trees. The best part is that *they* grow most of what they sell and
it's picked fresh, so you know you're getting as good as it gets without
growing it yourself. That's what I like about it. :~)

kili

In article <[email hidden]>,

Skyhooks said:

More than likely, nearly everyone on RFC has access to a local farmers'
market where they can shop for seasonal items. What is your favorite
item(s) from a farmers' market and what draws you there?

Fayetteville square surrounds what was once our post office. A pretty
site for a market here in NW Arkansas. We had a bad spring freeze so
there were no strawberries or blueberries and will be no locally grown
peaches this year. Sad, sad, sad ...

Everything else is normal. We have had a few farmers of asian extraction
showing up for the last several summers so I'm seeing a lot of what look
(to me) like exotic vegetables. Will have to try to learn how to use
this stuff.

Onions, leeks, shallots, and such have been my favorites this spring and
now tomatoes are showing up. I like smaller tomatoes and am especially
fond of the really small ones (e. g. cherry or grape tomatoes) that have
been appearing on the square over the last few years. The wife and I buy
a half pint of each of a number of varieties. We munch on them like
candy at her house whilst doing crossword or jigsaw puzzles in air
conditioned comfort.

Life is good.

Dave W.
In the Ozarks

Andy q said:

Skyhooks said...

Quoted message said:

More than likely, nearly everyone on RFC has access to a local farmers'
market where they can shop for seasonal items. What is your favorite
item(s) from a farmers' market and what draws you there?

My farmers' markets are quite boring, just aisles of fruit and veggies unlike
the fashionable street markets offering plenty of everything.

I always get a bag of seedless grapes. Usually apples, basil (if the price is
right) and avocados.

Andy

That doesn't sound like the type of farmers market that Sky is talking
about. There, you wouldn't have the juxtaposition of vegetables that
out of season, along with seasonal things.

Surely there must be a real farmers market in your area?

This morning from work, I went to a local produce stand to see if they
had any Hanover tomatoes yet. They didn't, but they had freshly
shucked butter beans, plus those in the pod. I seriously thought
about getting some, but I am down to doing almost no cooking right
now, as I am trying to clean this place up.

And to those of you who argued with me about butter beans some time
ago, these did look like baby limas!!!! And they were labeled as
being butterbeans. So there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Christine, who might go back and take a picture of this...

On Sat, 16 Jun 2007 15:02:39 -0400, Christine Dabney
<[email hidden]> wrote:

<snip>

Quoted message said:

And to those of you who argued with me about butter beans some time
ago, these did look like baby limas!!!! And they were labeled as
being butterbeans. So there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That could just mean that at least 2 of you are wrong :-)

TammyM, whose idear of butter beans is a tad larger than "baby limas"

Skyhooks said:

More than likely, nearly everyone on RFC has access to a local farmers'
market where they can shop for seasonal items. What is your favorite
item(s) from a farmers' market and what draws you there?

Ohhh....farmers markets. I just adore them.

I miss the farmers markets of California. Such incredible
produce..and yes sky, that means GREEN stuff. 😉

But no matter, I still love them almost anywhere.

I start haunting farmers markets as often as I can at this time of
year for the first tomatoes. Real summer tomatoes that is. Same with
corn. I like plain old yellow corn, not the super sweet varieties and
occasionally it still turns up in some markets.

I haven't been to the local farmers market here yet, even though it
opened a few weeks ago. My time is getting short here, and I would be
tempted to buy more than I could possibly cook and eat. I wish I
could... The little produce stand I frequent now also has local
produce, especially southern staples, like pole beans. Butter beans
in the pod and shelled. I was just there this morning and I saw these
gorgeous piles of beets, locally grown.

In California, I go for the fruit. I get my peaches and apricots from
farmers markets there, and if I got apricots, half are gone by the
time I get home. And the melons.

In New Mexico last year, I happened upon a farmer at one of the local
markets that was selling Winesap apples from a few trees he had on his
property. Man, those things were good!!!

In the fall, at New Mexico farmers markets, the chile roasters are set
up and you can buy many different kinds of chiles and have them
freshly roasted for you. Just to walk into the marketplace and smell
the aroma of that is enough to set one to salivating...

I like talking to the folks that grow the food too. Last year, at the
Corrales market, I got to talking to one of the ladies who had just
started coming to that particular market. She had some more boutique
type vegetables and was trying to see what folks wanted her to grow
for the markets. Should be interesting to see what she has this year.
I think last year (among other things) I asked her about having squash
blossoms for sale, and she was very interested in that. I am now
hoping I can find when I get back to NM.

You touched upon a topic near to my heart, sky. I think farmers
markets are wonderful, and I encourage folks to find their local ones,
where they are selling locally grown produce, in season. I think
farmers markets, among other things, remind us of the seasonality of
our food. It is always a pleasure to look forward to the first
tomatoes of the season, the first corn, the first asparagus, the stone
fruits of summer. In northern California, the green garlic that only
shows up in the spring... The profusion of ripe peppers of any type
that show up in the fall...

Christine, advocate of eating seasonally

(TammyM) said:

On Sat, 16 Jun 2007 15:02:39 -0400, Christine Dabney
<[email hidden]> wrote:

<snip>

Quoted message said:

And to those of you who argued with me about butter beans some time
ago, these did look like baby limas!!!! And they were labeled as
being butterbeans. So there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That could just mean that at least 2 of you are wrong :-)

TammyM, whose idear of butter beans is a tad larger than "baby limas"

These are the butterbeans I grew up with. I think I am going to go
back and get a bag of them... I think my sister likes them as well, so
maybe I can induce her to cook them...

Christine, who will tote her camera along next time...

Skyhooks said:

More than likely, nearly everyone on RFC has access to a local
farmers' market where they can shop for seasonal items. What is your
favorite item(s) from a farmers' market and what draws you there?

I always look forward to the local sweet corn coming in. The corn is
always picked the evening before, so it can't really get fresher than
that (unless one has their very own corn field <g>😉. The vendor
brings a large farm truck with its flat-bed full of green corn on the
cobs and parks it at the Market. Customers then select the ears of
corn they want straight from the truck. The cost is usually around
$1 per 6 ears of corn. Don't know the current price yet for this
season.

In addition to corn, I like the fresh fruits like strawberries,
peaches, and raspberries. There's also a vendor for local honey, so
I buy a bit from him every year. And one lady vendor at the market
makes wonderful apples pies, luckily the small ones too 😉

One reason I like shopping at local farmers' market is because I like
to support local and regional businesses, especially the small family
businesses. Plus, it's nice to know the true source of the foods,
whether produce, dairy, meat, and other merchandise.

Another fun feature is the entertainment factor. There are always a
few musicians who play during Market hours. Some of them are school
kids practicing and trying to make a buck at the same time, where
others are more full of character (think [censored] Van Dyke's character in
Marry Poppins). Anything from classical to blue grass to funky.

Not to mention, there's usually some group or another affiliated with
some political or non-political movement requesting signatures for
petitions. Other various non-profit and profit organzations have
information 'canopies' where brochures and mailing lists are
available.

Farmers' Markets are always fun. Visiting them is often a good way to
learn information about local goings-on.

Sky, who's off to the Market <g>

The farmer's market here is quite limited and very dull. I buy various
squash, broccoli, green beans, tomatoes, peas. Corn on the cob, although
they are often busily using this big machine that removes the kernels so
they can sell corn OFF the cob! (Eeek, don't do that, I want my corn *on*
the cob!)

In the summer there is more watermelon than you can shake a stick at and I
don't like the taste of watermelon. Don't care for cantaloupe or others,
either. Grapes are hard to find. Sometimes there are peaches or
nectarines. There is no music, no extra anything. Just a bunch of bins of
veggies and some fruit and people standing around looking hot and bored.

Jill

Christine Dabney said...

Quoted message said:

That doesn't sound like the type of farmers market that Sky is talking
about. There, you wouldn't have the juxtaposition of vegetables that
out of season, along with seasonal things.

Surely there must be a real farmers market in your area?

I remember the one in Los Angeles at Beverly and Fairfax. That was a social
farmer's market, with tables in a food court. They had a good mix of
everything. Lots of people (and movie stars) would sit there every day and
"hold court."

I've seen the Santa Monica street market on TV but it wasn't there when I
left.

Two of the farmers markets here also sell garden plants. One, Linvilla
Orchards sells chickens and eggs, cakes, ice cream and fresh pressed apple
cider as well! Great cider, all cloudy and thick! YUM! I also pick my corn
there.

There's a large farmer's market in Amish country (Bird in Hand, PA) that
offers up all the regional fresh produce. Some Amish harvest gets to
Philadelphia, at the Reading Terminal Market.

They all pretty much keep seasonal, they just don't have pizzazz.

Andy

Christine Dabney said:

These are the butterbeans I grew up with. I think I am going to go
back and get a bag of them... I think my sister likes them as well, so
maybe I can induce her to cook them...

Make succotash! Mmmmm.

--
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Dave W said:

We have had a few farmers of asian extraction
showing up for the last several summers so I'm seeing a lot of what look
(to me) like exotic vegetables. Will have to try to learn how to use
this stuff.

Can you get "long" beans? If so, you can do a great stir fry with
beef.

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Christine Dabney said:

Christine, advocate of eating seasonally

What's the name of that thing we found that resembles an artichoke? I
had no idea what I was looking at until you told me.... then I saw it
growing wild in England and took a picture of it. Will find it later
to post or send.

--
See return address to reply by email

<sf> wrote

Quoted message said:

Christine Dabney said:

Christine, advocate of eating seasonally

What's the name of that thing we found that resembles an artichoke? I
had no idea what I was looking at until you told me.... then I saw it
growing wild in England and took a picture of it. Will find it later
to post or send.

Cardoon?

nancy

In article <[email hidden]>,

Skyhooks said:

More than likely, nearly everyone on RFC has access to a local farmers'
market where they can shop for seasonal items. What is your favorite
item(s) from a farmers' market and what draws you there?

Haven't seen it in a few years, but one of the strawberry vendors would
bring a cooler with these little frozen cups. They weren't ice cream,
and I think they had no dairy in them. They tasted just like fresh
strawberries, except frozen. I guess they would be called a strawberry
ice.

ObMarket: We're going in a few minutes. It's only on Saturday
afternoons during the summer. This will be my first visit this year,
although the kids went last weekend.

In article <[email hidden]>, artisan2
@ix.netcom.com says...

Quoted message said:

That doesn't sound like the type of farmers market that Sky is talking
about. There, you wouldn't have the juxtaposition of vegetables that
out of season, along with seasonal things.

Surely there must be a real farmers market in your area?

It's too bad, some "farmers' markets" are just another location for
people to sell produce from California, Florida, Chile, etc. Our market
(Carrboro, NC, which has gained some fame nationally) is successful in
part because they have strict regulations that everything sold has to be
grown or raised within a 100 mile radius (or some such distance).

--
Peter Aitken

sf said:

Christine Dabney said:

Christine, advocate of eating seasonally

What's the name of that thing we found that resembles an artichoke? I
had no idea what I was looking at until you told me.... then I saw it
growing wild in England and took a picture of it. Will find it later
to post or send.

Cardoons. Nancy can tell you all about them..😉

Christine