Wednesday Farmers’ Market

Tags

farm stand, farmers' market, food, foodie, locally grown, organic, produce

We are lucky enough to live in a rural area with many farmers’ markets and stands, where fresh produce is often in abundance during the summer months. Two years ago, I learned about one particular farmers’ market that is open year-round every Wednesday. The trouble is, during the school year we never make it there before they close for the day, and during the summer months I easily lose track of the days of the week.

Yesterday was the first Wednesday of summer break and I was thrilled to finally make the trip to the Lewisburg Farmers’ Market. We didn’t make it there until 11, and the parking lot and market were PACKED! Next week, I will plan to be there earlier (sans Hubster). There were so many stands from many local farms, and now I know where to get many food items (we did run into one student and her mom who pointed us toward the best tomatoes at the market). From venison and rabbit, to fresh potted herbs and grains, from raw milk and eggs to almost every fruit, vegetable, legume, and nut imaginable. The local strawberries and cherries looked AMAZING this week!

Unfortunately, over the weekend I already stocked up on fruits and vegetables. So we didn’t really need much. 

Farmers’ Market 6/12/13

We purchased:
1 head of red leaf lettuce, 4 yellow tomatoes, 3 large zucchini, 1 bunch of scallions, sugar snap peas, fresh locally baked pretzel rolls, 2 large fresh pretzels (to eat on location), and pecan sticky buns

Guess which item Hubster picked?

Once we got home…
Hubster: What’s for lunch?
Me: Lettuce (I tear off leaf and stuff it in my mouth).
Hubster: What else?
Me: Tomatoes (I pick up a yellow tomato and bite into it)
Hubster: And?
Me: Sugar snap peas (pop one in my mouth).
Hubster: Okay, what’s for dinner? (he seemed to temporarily forget about our dinner plans with friends).
Me: Zucchini (I pick up zucchini and hand it to him).

What is fresh at your local farmers’ market?

Sunday Seeds & Sprouts 2012: Started

Tags

gardening, kitchen garden, potager, produce, starting seeds, sustainable living

These photos aren’t going to be beautiful. The beauty comes from the idea of picking and eating my own fresh fruits and vegetables this summer. Did you ever sink your teeth into a sun-ripened tomato, juice dripping down your chin? Or pop sugar snap peas straight from the vine into your mouth? Or tearing off a mint leaf and chewing it before you get it into your tea? Each bite more rich in color and flavor than anything you can get at the supermarket, even better than the farmer’s market. That’s the beauty in this post.

In my kitchen window sill I am starting sweet potato and red potato vines. The sweet potato is developing roots, while the red potato is developing plant shoots. We used to do this each year when we were kids. After all, kids are more likely to eat veggies that they helped to grow.

Sweet Potato & Red Potato

Using disposable cake pans with dome lids, eggs cartons (and some leftover peat pots), and seed starting soil, I crafted mini greenhouses to help germinate my seeds. This week I started two varieties of tomatoes and two of bell peppers.

Mini Greenhouse #1: Tomatoes & Peppers

In Jan. I ordered our seeds from Burpee and used Sprout Robot to help create a personalized planting calendar. About a month ago, we started a small-scale compost. Now Hubster just needs to get some rough cut lumber and build raised beds.

Dear Gardener, what’s your seed starting tip?
Dear Foodies, what’s your favorite fresh veggie or fruit to eat and/or cook?