It's hard to believe that our regional farmers market (indoors, year round on Saturdays) has been open for five years. Today, the fifth anniversary was celebrated.
Here's how Nature helped in the celebration. You'll note this vendor is outdoors, and some vendors do move outdoors once the weather settles.
Herbs, and something called Wasabi Arugula. I can imagine.
Garlic scapes, a bonus given to those who grow garlic bulbs. If not harvested, these become the flowers and seed pods of the garlic plant. They have a mild flavor but have to be harvested before they get tough.
Fennel. We didn't buy it today but it can make a wonderful anise-flavored soup.
Asparagus (finishing up for the year), and up in price from last year, like so much.
Strawberries really up from last year. Our local crop is finishing up. Strawberries can be a great addition to Canada Day cakes (please note, Canadian readers, that you should not make my mistakes this coming July 1.)
We missed the band that was supposed to play - it wasn't supposed to start until an hour after the market opened, and by then, the market would be so crowded, parking would be hard to find. It's a long story, but this market ended up being built in a different location than originally planned, and parking is a bit tight.
Happy birthday to our farmers market, and, in case I forget, Happy Canada Day July 1 to my Canadian readers!
...and I thought that $4/quart was expensive! But, $8, are they made of gold?
ReplyDeleteApparently they are made of gold this year, Tom. Some food prices are way up around here and I passed on the $8 strawberries. Last year local strawberries at the farmers market would have been more like $6 a quart. Still expensive.
DeleteEverything looks fantastic! Farmer's markets are the best. I'm glad you have one in your area too. :)
ReplyDeleteAnd we are just entering the peak of our growing season too, Martha. Now if we can return to Florida in January and sample the best of yours.
DeleteThat asparagus is really expensive! Nice was to spend part of the day. I walked the puppy at 6am, then have been reading and computering and iPhoning games and things. It's 104, with the forecast to be 2 more degrees before it goes down to a warm night in the 70s. Cool considering tomorrow is forecast 112! Setting records in the PNW.
ReplyDeleteI experienced heat like that one of the years we lived in Wichita, Kansas (it got to 112 once in a summer chock full of over 100 degree days) but heat was far from unknown in Wichita. Not like what you've been facing in the PNW. Yes, the asparagus is expensive - last year it was selling for $4.00 a lb, still expensive. But it is fresh, not the supermarket stuff, and fresh does make a difference.
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ReplyDeleteI love Farmer’s Markets. Maybe it’s my ‘middle man’ complex. But I like paying the producer!
And thank you for your wonderful birthday wishes! We Canadians love you, too! ;)
We live in what they call Tri-Cities in Illinois. Batavia (that's where we livee), Geveva and St. Charles Illinois. The Tri-Cities. We have a mess of farms all around us so we have a lot of Farmer's Markets. There's one right downtown (it's small) and it's awesome. I love going there. Although this year we do have a veggie or should I say tomato garden that's all we have this year because with my back & leg giving me problems I really can't take care of it as well as I would like to like pulling weeds mainly. :( Oh well. Do you have farmers markets close to you too? Ours isn't crowded because there's so many, but still I love them sometimes the fruits/veggies are so big and tasty sometimes I can't wait to get home and I start tasting. hahahaha Have a great weekend. Thinking of starting a new blog on blogspot again. Couldn't get it last time, but now that I have one I won't have the rush feeling anymore. Any good tips? I sure would appreciate it. HUGS
ReplyDeleteXmas Dolly, we used to have more small markets. They are more consolidated into the "regional" market now. There was one down where I used to work (pre-COVID) in downtown Binghamton,NY- twice a week, and Fridays they would have local bands playing at noontime. I looked forward to that musical break from work! They discontinued it several years ago, alas.
DeleteGlad to see the farmers market is doing well.
ReplyDeleteI love farmers markets. We have not been this year - your post is a good reminder.
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