I love Farmer's Markets. I love the colors, the smells and I love that the fruit and vegetables look like they just came out of the ground or picked from a tree- not all waxed and polished like the supermarket variety. I love the act of leisurely perusing the plentiful bounty of these local farmers and and I love meeting them- they are often really great people. I always leave satisfied with my finds and the interesting conversations I've had. I always learn something new. It is wonderful to support farmer's markets for many reasons: you are supporting small(ish) farms and therefore small(ish) business - we love that, the fruit and vegetables do not travel too far to get to your market (as opposed to the strawberries that you buy in CT that come from CA) so less carbon is burned in travel, and lastly it encourages eating what's in season. Fruits and vegetables that are eaten in season simply taste better. Also, when you go to a farmer's market, you see vegetables or fruits that you don't usually cook or eat like kale or golden beets- it's a bit of an adventure. And then there are fresh bread, pies and cheese- you can buy for a whole week at a market. Bread can go right in the freezer and then taken out to thaw the morning you are going to eat it. Overripe fruits can be made into quick breads, muffins or pies. See this great article by blog author Sara Kate Gillingham-Ryan of The Kitchn about a breakfast pie she made out of bruised apricots in Florence.
You can also go berry or fruit picking. It's a great activity on a beautiful day and a great thing to do with the kids. Check out www.pickyourown.org for some great locations where you can pick your own fruit. Check out the following festivals (found in Martha Stewart Living):
Marysville Peach Festival, July 17-19
www.marysvillepeachfest.com
Strawberry Festival, July 17-19
www.vashonchamber.com
New Jersey Peach Festival, July 23-26
www.jerseypeaches.com
Strasburg Corn Festival, July 24-25
www.villageofstrasburg.com
Blueberry Festival, July 26
www.oldausterlitz.org
Courtland Pear Festival, July 26
www.pearfair.com
To find more information on how you can find a farmer's market's in your area. Check out this article. Have fun!
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