Sustainable Saturday - Cabbage Collards and Strawberries

What do you like to do when you are on vacation?

Some people lie on the beach during a vacation.  Some people hike, some kayak, some mountain climb. I enjoy destinations that allow me to learn about history.  At the same time, I go to farmers markets, if there are any being held near where I am vacationing. They are all so different, and they rarely disappoint.

My spouse and were fortunate enough to be in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina earlier in April for their first farmers market of the year. 

Last Saturday I blogged about a farmer's market in South Carolina's second biggest city, Charleston.  To understand these markets, you need to to understand some of South Carolina's demographics.

Something I never really realized until the first time I visited South Carolina several years ago is just how rural South Carolina is - its biggest city, Columbia (the capital) has a population of only around 130,000. (Contrast this with neighboring North Carolina - its biggest city, Charlotte, has about 775,000 people).  Charleston, the second biggest city in the state, has about 125,000 people.  Mt. Pleasant is the fourth biggest city, and is growing rapidly.

Charleston has become a major destination for people interested in eating, and this has carried over to Mt. Pleasant, across the Cooper River from Charleston.  What I especially liked about this market was the fact that it started at 3:30 pm instead of in the early morning.

 We were greeted with posters advertising a Chef's Potluck, and Lowcountry Farm Tours.  We also talked to a couple of young women promoting local food.

Nearby was a sign advertising fresh pasta.

And more fresh pasta.

We purchased the sweet potato, bacon and leek ravioli, which was delicious, although at the price charged, it would not have been an everyday part of my eating.

We also bought some of these Carolina Sweet Onions and brought them home with us.

Greens were also local. We were introduced to something called cabbage collards, an heirloom - and delicious.

And finally, local strawberries - unexpected, and so welcome to someone living in an area where local berries come in June.

Do you do anything food related during vacations?