Tell us about your farmers markets (freeze, tomato, grocery store, cheap)

[nALgirl]

Originally Posted by lubby

The pickle guy at my farmers market over heard me saying I make homemade BBQ sauce, so he told me if I make him some I could have free pickles! I am taking him up on that offer since his pickles are so good. My favorite are the dill and the honey mustard pickle chips. This Saturday I will drop off some BBQ sauce to him.

Have you posted your BBQ sauce recipe? If so, I must have missed it

[AnonChick]

No idea about farmers' markets around here, because we have a dedicated produce store, and literally dozens of small farms around our area. Many of them have roadside produce stands and there are several families who don't have farms; just back yard veggie gardens, who sell off their excess on lawn tables out front.

Prices tend to be lower than at the supermarkets, and much higher quality. Since these are mostly family farms, there's not a whole lot of heavy pesticide use. Definitely some. Just not widescale like at the bigger commercial farms. And the fertilizers tend to be chicken poop, since every farm around here seems to have enough chickens to sell fresh eggs as well.

We have some fairly big apple orchards, and berry farms, and they all have "pick your own" season where you buy an empty bucket and go out into the rows and fill it yourself.

I have my own perennial herb garden in my yard, and a mulberry tree in the front. And there's blackberry plants growing on the side of the road down the street, so I get my berries free anyway. And 100% organic since no one ever does anythign to them. They're wild

[North Beach Person]

North Beach Friday Night Farmers’ Market Season to Begin

April 27, 2012

http://smnewsnet.com/wp-content/uplo...et-300x257.jpgThe Town of North Beach is excited to announce the start of the Friday Night Farmers’ Market season. The market will be open every Friday from 6 to 9 p.m., May 4, 2012 through October 26, 2012.

[lubby]

Originally Posted by nALgirl

Have you posted your BBQ sauce recipe? If so, I must have missed it

It's not my recipe but it is in the recipe someone here gave it to me.

[gomexico]

I find that though I visit farmers markets in Chicago, just about everyone resembles the produce section at my major supermarket and the prices are substantially more expensive. We do get some producers from Michigan who come into town for the markets, however, but the high-prices turn me off.

[Ohiogirl81]

Originally Posted by AnonChick

No idea about farmers' markets around here, because we have a dedicated produce store, and literally dozens of small farms around our area. Many of them have roadside produce stands and there are several families who don't have farms; just back yard veggie gardens, who sell off their excess on lawn tables out front.

Those are the best kinds of markets! There aren't many around where I live, but when I visit my mom, I'll stop at a half-dozen different farm stands on the way out of town.

[North Beach Person]

Originally Posted by North Beach Person

North Beach Friday Night Farmers’ Market Season to Begin

April 27, 2012



http://smnewsnet.com/wp-content/uplo...et-300x257.jpgThe Town of North Beach is excited to announce the start of the Friday Night Farmers’ Market season. The market will be open every Friday from 6 to 9 p.m., May 4, 2012 through October 26, 2012.

I'll try this again with a link to the story. The market is a success surpassing any predictions. In fact the MD Dept. of Agriculture sends people thinking of starting one to our's to model. A fact which some new members of the Events Committee didn't realize when they proposed visiting some of the new ones to get ideas. I enjoyed letting them know that the ones they wished to visit got their ideas from us.


North Beach Friday Night Farmers

Something fairly new featuring local vineyards/wineries

Eat * Drink * Go Local: North Beach

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by gomexico

I find that though I visit farmers markets in Chicago, just about everyone resembles the produce section at my major supermarket and the prices are substantially more expensive. We do get some producers from Michigan who come into town for the markets, however, but the high-prices turn me off.

I agree, some of the prices unless you can buy in bulk are high but it is worth it for the freshness as long as you don't need to buy enough for an army. The thing that bothers me is; we have no idea what we are really paying cause everything is just in little bunches, like 5 beets, a pint container of beans, etc. Still, I do love to get some of the summer stuff there and look forward to just seeing all the fresh and sometimes unusual produce.

Nita

[jim9251]

The Farmer's Market in Fayetteville Arkansas was the best. Not just a market, but a celebration every Saturday morning.

[Pivot Point]

We have a really good one near me every Saturday 8:30-1:00pm. The farmers are all from nearby--within 3 hrs.

There is a wide variety of items of excellent quality: vegetables, fruits, baked goods, prepared foods, organic meats and seafood, organic eggs, cheeses, butter, jams and jellies, vinegars, wines, ciders, juices, honey, herbs, plants, cut flowers.
The prices are much, much less than what you'd pay at the supermarket.

It's a lot more than an opportunity to buy good foods. It's actually also a weekly community event. Families come out in droves and everyone has lots of fun tasting the samples, chatting with neighbors, and watching/listening to the entertainment, participating in games and raffles, etc.