The closest my family every got to worship was attending the local farmer's market every Saturday morning during the warmer months. This is one family trait I was glad to inherit. So, this morning, I was up bright and early to attend the opening day of the Riverfront Farmer's Market. It was so much fun and just purchasing a small amount of fresh local produce makes me feel all is going to be OK with the world.
My mother is the most religious farmer's market goer in the family. In their home town, she knows all of the vendors by name and can give you a rundown of what they sell, when they sell it, and the quality of their products. They all know her by name too, mostly because she can be very pushy (complaining if the baby squash are too large or the apples are too early) and because she is a regular who makes several trips to her car with produce each week. She has a set routine she follows and gets upset when they rearrange the booths. She also works on an exchange system with some of the vendors. She brings back her berry containers, egg cartons, plastic bags, and display vases to the people who need them. She will not purchase anything that has not been locally grown and will call vendors out if they try to pass off outside produce. I try not to be as aggressive, but I will not purchase trucked in produce - only local.
Since it is pretty early in the season, the selection of produce was limited today, but well worth the trip. I got the last pint of teeny-tiny strawberries. They were half gone before I got home. I also purchased lettuce, spinach, arugula, fresh green garlic, radishes, and a bagette. The organic chicken vendors were not there today, so I was very disappointed because they had beautiful small roasting chickens. In any event, we will be eating well tonight!
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I am leary of farmers markets. Two reasons: the first was that my grandmother used to plant produce very early in her garden. If it looked like freeze of frost, she whould cover everything up with straw and sheets. She would have peas before Memorial day and sweet corn by July 4. Unless you have a hot (green) house, how much earlier could you possibly have these things? My mother plants fairly early, too, and I see the progress of her veggies and most have a ways to go. The second is when I see produce boxes sitting around that are the exact same name boxes that used to show up on a truck at my restaurant's back door.
I'm not saying people are dishonest, but too many things make me go "Hmmmmmmmm" this early in the growing season.
Now I know who beat me out of those strawberries. This week though, I will rise at the crack of dawn and say a little prayer that I get there first for those sweet little berries:)
I agree that you have to be very careful at farmers markets. My mother has been going to the same market for 20 years so she knows all of the vendors. There are quite a few that she refuses to shop at because they have pulled some questionable stuff.
This is also the reason I do not shop at the Metro Market - I won't support simply selling regular produce in a market-like setting passing it off as a "farmers market." If I see a produce box within 10 feet of a stand, I pass it by and will not go back.
The other key to shopping at farmers markets is to know the growing seasons in your climate. Always be wary of early peaches, corn, or peas or any other produce that doesn't seem right.
About the strawberries - this particular vendor said the pint I bought was her last, but maybe other people have some!
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