What is your favorite Farmer's Market item?

Farmer's market down the road from us has THE best corn and peaches

I look for peaches, apples, tomatoes, other veggies. Next year I hope my garden is in full swing so that I can just walk out the back door and get veggies or fruit for the table.

Peaches and until mine are ready,cukes and squash.

Mainly a stock-rearing area here, so it's mostly meats in the farmers markets here. Very good too, a lot of it organic quality.

What arable farming there is here is all wheat, barley or oilseed rape, almost no veg., and there isn't much market for sacks of grain or oilseeds (!).

Resin

Blueberries and Tomatoes! Did I mention blueberries? Oh! And then there is blueberries! ^_^

"Other" because I love all of it!!!!

I love to go to my sister's house in Santa Barbara and then we go to the organic Farmers' Market in the downtown area. The fruit like strawberries, peaches, and raspberries are the best ever as are the veggies like squash, lettuce, beans, broccoli and so much more!

I said other. Because we sell at the market, but I buy mini doughnuts every week!

Local organic produce - the best.

Veggies and fruits. Love fresh yellow squash, berries, and melons. I live for farmer's market season here!!

I voted "Other" becuase I LOVE all of the handmade soaps, candles and lotions. There are some really cool scents out there!

I voted other because I seek the company and friendship of the many healthy patch and organic growers. My days may be numbered but it is a sheer delight to associated with so many much younger growers who profit without using the harsh poison chemicals. The numbers of such growers are increasing their acres all accross the country. Nothing pleases me more to enjoy their soil improvements and witness the delightful produce they grow. Health food stores and farmer's markets are everywhere and filled with much more really good products than just a few years ago.

Hi All,
We have a Sunday morning local market on the racetrack grounds that is more like an rummage sale blown all out of proportion, but there are plenty of fresh selections as well - bought some outstanding Long White 'taties; some of which are now planted in MY patch. Funny story - I told them I was looking for seed potatoes and the young man waiting on me stated they didn't have any. I pointed downwards and said 'yes, you do' and the older gent behind the seller (his son, maybe?) started chuckling and said 'at least SOMEONE here knows a thing or two!) I felt kind of embarassed for the man!
And this gorgeous Dahlia was also found there. The pic is when I'd first purchased it, and it now fills the 12" deck pot with constant blossoms...not bad for $3.00. And of course it and the four others I bought from that vendor will join the other 20 or so and be lifted in fall for further years of enjoyment!
I myself sell Hosta, Daylilies and whatever else I dig up so Oh, Darn if I just happen to have money on hand....he he he...

P.S. I just looked at the tag - she is called 'MAXI PAPAGAYA' and she is fairly new to the market with the earliest articles being found in 2007 or so, and has a slew of pretty sisters. Don't let pics fool you - this bloom is RED...not magenta...not fuchia...clear, true, brilliant RED!

This message was edited Jul 6, 2010 12:04 PM

We enjoy the fresh baked goods...breads which I don't make.

I just found a place that sell fresh veggies close by. Since i can't garden anymore. I buy tomatoes and tomatoes and tomatoes and tomatoes and sometimes cukes.
Vickie

i hunt down the old style chutneys and relishes,.,.hard to get now,everyone wants to add cloves,pineapple,curry powder or sultanas[ruins them].

Fresh herbs. I bought some beautiful bunches of basil yesterday morning which we had in our chicken pasta dish for dinner. The farmers can always grow so many more plants than I can. Also cute heirloom cherry tomatoes.
Martha

I can't pass up the goodies. Cookies, cakes, breads, I love it all. We also get some fabulous veggies and herbs too.

Our local market is all the veggies we have failed to plant, those that are ready to eat before those that we have planted. The merchants that sells their okra, beets, etc... at a take it all reduced price! Our Farmer's Market for small town America is great. We have an assortment of other items, ie baked goods,jellies, vinegars, herbs etc. Eggs, buffalo meat, honey, the truly best of the region.

buffalo meat,i reckon that would be a hit here

I cannot grow a tomato to save my life so I definitely am all over the tomatoes at out FM:lol: I live alone but you couldn't tell it by how many tomatoes I buy whenever I go. I will go from vendor to vendor and buy some from all of them. I especially like when I find some of the heirloom varieties and various colors.
That's also where the pumpkins come from in the fall. Yup, spendier but so worth it--I love that French heirloom one that looks like Cinderella's coach.

I also will pick up annuals--calibrochoa, lantana and some of the tender salvias.

I try to support local vendors and buy whatever I currently do not have growing. It may be a type of bean, melons or baked goods (if I don't want to heat up my kitchen) We have several good farmer's markets, and a couple that are trying to get started within a 30 mile radius so I have many choices.

g_whizz, you ought to try buffalo if you can get it. Lower in fat than chicken, very tender and not gamey at all. We have a man who raises them just a couple of miles away. I really like stew and chili made with it, and the steaks cook up on the grill in no time. (you don't cook it as long as beef) I keep several cuts in the freezer all the time.

Tomato bread honey

The fresh vegies that I buy at the farmer's market are local organically grown ones. This reduces my carbon footprint and has helped my fibromyalgia pain control. The less processing and chemical additives to anything we eat is much healthier and actually less time intensive than buying fruit and vegies at the stores. Less time intensive because I don't have to wash and rinse with vinegar to remove the residues.

Oh, by the way, our buffalo meat is all natural. Just grass fed, and a little silage in the winter. Nothing artificial and they graze on rolling pasture land with water from a spring-fed creek. No antibiotics or artificial food supplements...just buffalo.

The Dane County Farmer's Market in Madison, WI has a vendor that sells cheese bread. They're always calling out, "Hot SPICY cheeeeeese bread!" And it's hot off the bakery truck--warm, gooey, cheesy goodness with red pepper flakes on top. Mmm!

Orchids - we get fresh strawberries or plums every week . If we get there early enough - we end up with at least one orchid . - mothers day , birthdays , anniversaries - easy just go get an orchid .

With just 2 of us in the house, we really don't go to a Farmer's market, none very close by. So I voted 'other' since it doesn't apply.

Love Georgia and South Carolina peaches. They are the best!! Time to make homemade peach ice cream with a pound cake. One of my favorite summer things. Also love cucumbers, tomatoes, blueberries, okra and corn. Must not forget watermelon and canalopes.

I had buffalo burgers when I was in western Canada. There is a bison farm next door to the University of Massachusetts-Amherst campus that sells fresh meat, but you have to go to the farm to get it.
Martha

they sound great,but we dont have buffalo or bison here.i suppose we make up for it by eating kangaroo meat,lean and strong taste.often ground into burger meat,.,very widely used as pet food.

Well MySelf and Four Others grow most All the Fresh fruit and veggies theat are needed and for most of the edlers round here in my area get them free from me and the folks that help put together the "Big Garden" we put out .we also have a Small road side market we supply for the community.

Sarge

Farmers market seems a great way to get our food dollars right to the farmers in our own area, helping keep farmland in our area, and using less oil to transport it all. . and gettting really fresh food is geat. Another plus are the small unique offerings like fresh figs.
My nephew gave us a good laugh last year. He had been to a farmer market in California. ooh la la. We pulled into our little farm stand in central Maryland, he hops out and says "do they have ostrich eggs here?" That was the odest statement unitl he explained where he had seen them!

OUr local Flea markets are among the best sources for plants... cheap. And a great variety of rare and intesting things as well. I buy a lot of my palms, succulents and cacti from these sales ,as well as other odd and cool things.

http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/2427/

Sarge, what a lovely thing you and your friends are doing for your community. Bravo.

little blue potatoes were the prize today. Went to the FM in the next town over. also gorgeous leaf lettuce.
Martha

I also find that farmers markets are about the only place anymore to get free kitties.

Today's bounty was red potatoes sweet corn, beets, green beans, farm fresh eggs and two buffalo rib eye steaks. Tomatoes are still a little scarce, but plenty of squash, cucumbers, a few peppers, some great looking baked goods and an "Cook-off" or perhaps I should say a "grill-off" between some of the local restaurants, utilizing the fresh produce.

Bllue potato salad was very interesting for dinner! My observation is to hold back on the mayo or creamy dressing to let the blue shine through.
Martha