Farm Fresh
All over the world farm markets have always supplied us with fresh, locally grown produce. In most of the United States, farm stands open in late spring and early summer, selling whatever is growing in the fields at the time. These local outlets differ from large farmer's markets where produce may be trucked in from far away. What we are looking for today are fruits and vegetables that grow where we live. The offerings vary from region to region, and you are sure to find the freshest and the best, grown with pride.
I'm fortunate to live close to Lancaster County, PA, and some of the best farmland in the country. Most communities in this area have small weekly grower's markets, where you can buy directly from the people who grew the food.
I have a strategy for shopping, because when one is surrounded by beautiful temptations it's easy to over-buy. Here are my tips.
- Take a quick walk through the entire market and decide what you need.
- Look at the quality first and the price second. One vendor might have the best-looking sweet corn and another the most beautiful red radishes. Decide what you will buy from each one. When you have seen everything, go back and begin shopping.
- Bring your own shopping bags. Not only are they better for the environment, but they are also easier to carry than multiple plastic bags.
- Keep a cooler in your trunk with some ice packs so that you can take early purchases back to the car without worrying about spoilage and wilting in the heat.
Today's recipes use produce typical of that offered by farm markets - enjoy!
- Watermelon Salad - Choose a sweet, fresh watermelon, and make this refreshing summer salad that combines sweet and savory elements. Balsamic vinegar and onion make it tangy and the addition of mint keeps it cool.
- Carrot Souffle - A new way to enjoy the goodness of carrots. Get your daily requirement of vitamin A from this light dish.
- Oven Fried Onion Rings - Buy the freshest onions you can find to make this crunchy delight. It's low in calories, but packed with savory flavor.
Comments
I LOOOVE markets! As a kid I would go to the farmer's market every Sunday...while my mom would buy what we would need food-wise it was my job to buy a bouquet of flowers! One stand would have an old man that would always hand me an apple.....
I still go every Saturday! My husband and I have made it our new ritual....even if we don't need anything, we go to just walke around and see the colours!
Growing up in Hawaii (Kawaii Island), we had some of the richest volcanic soil around! Local farmers are EVERYWHERE there (I'm not sure if they are anymore, but they used to be!) my mom and I would go to the Farmers Market on the North Shore EVERY saturday to get our veggies, fruit, fish and even cheeses! (lots of local fisherman at the farmers market)
you know, I don't remember eating red meat until I started visiting my dad in California. funny how things like that work.
Here in Michigan, there a TONS of local farmlands. I couldn't believe how many Cider Mills there are within 50 miles of my house! There's a giant farmers market about 25 miles from us every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. It's our routine to go there every saturday and get some fresh fruits and veggies to go along with my herb garden. People pay way too much for the stuff at grocery stores, don't they realize how many FRESH Jalepenos they can get for $4.00????
Farm stands are great but our Farmer's Market's usually sell the same shipped in fruits and veggies you can get at the grocery stores. ( even the ones on the locavore app. aren't locally produced always) Don't really see the benefit of that since some have lower prices but the stuff is either old or not handled properly as it doesn't last. To bad, so I'm still looking for a decent local one.
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Here are the other recipes featured in the newsletter
Corn RelishA sweet corn and white wine relish perfect for a hot summer day... continue reading
Claire's Classic GazpachoA fat free version of the classic recipe. If desired, olive oil may be added. Makes 4 large servings at only 50 calories each... continue reading
Rinku's radish sambharExotic spices enhance a vegeterian dish made of small red radishes. Hing and sambhar powder are spice mixtures available in Asian grocery stores... continue reading