Farmer's Markets!

[localkaty]

Today is opening day of our local market. (Or, as I like to call it, Christmas morning...)

We got just a tiny bit overexcited about all the fresh greens:




Anyone else excited about the season? Digging into a haul? Hoping to explore one for the first time?

If you're looking for a good local market, LocalHarvest is a great place to find one!

[EJ]

Ooh you're lucky! Our market only has random lettuces and carrots so far. And I was sad to find out the prices are astronomical

[elleneliza]

Those greens look beautiful! I almost did a CSA share but I figured that might take some of the fun out of the farmer's market season. This is the first year I'm eating meat (I've been vegan/vegetarian from 2003 until February 2014), so I'm looking forward to getting to know some of farmers who raise meat locally. SE Wisconsin has a great farming community.

[GinaD]

I know in Phoenix there are a lot of local farmers who have their meats at the market too. It's a great resource; I haven't price compare yet, but I will try to start.
Actually, I don't even know if there are any other Phoenicians in the paleomomcommunity... Lol. Are there?
I'll do it anyway for me, so I'll get back with more info:)

[Erin]

We go to our local farmers market weekly once it opens. I LOVE it! We have a ways to wait still though...

[gutsybynature]

Apr 14, 2014 7:38:07 GMT -5 elleneliza said:

Those greens look beautiful! I almost did a CSA share but I figured that might take some of the fun out of the farmer's market season. This is the first year I'm eating meat (I've been vegan/vegetarian from 2003 until February 2014), so I'm looking forward to getting to know some of farmers who raise meat locally. SE Wisconsin has a great farming community.

Getting a CSA is a whole different kind of fun. I love the challenge of having to prepare a vegetable I would probably never think to purchase on my own. That said, I used to live in SE Wisconsin and can absolutely confirm that! NOTHING beats the Madison farmer's market!

[GinaD]

I lived in Madison for 7 years, and I totally agree!!! The best:)

[alicia99]

We don't have many farmer's markets in our area but what we do have is a multi-state group called Bountiful Baskets -trucking out of the Phoenix area to lots of areas in the country. This is a wonderful source of produce, boxes of fruits and vegies, either a regular box or an organic box. Our truck comes through every 2 weeks but if you live in a larger population you may be able to order every week. There is never any choice on what goes in the baskets. They have 2 days you can order and then they pool the money and see what the best prices and selection they can get. I do have people lined up to take what I don't like to eat/can't eat. It also means I am trying new dishes I would never think of trying otherwise. Our local group has a facebook page to ask what you do with stuff or to split the add-on boxes. After you get the basic box, you can the order other boxes of whatever they have to sell. Obviously I skip the organic wheat bread, but the organic tomatoes, oranges,apples are nice. They also try for 'juice packs' for juicing, coconut oil-the best price I've found than even non-organic coconut oil, Mexican, Italian, St Patricks Day, Easter packs for themed veggie meals, etc. Offerings constantly change depending on what they can find. They do organic and small farms as much as possible. I have found their organic prices to be less then the non-organic in the grocery stores as loss-leaders. I signed up for the blog so I get recipes and can search for the weird new thing I need a recipe to try it out(fennel/anise,kale,leeks,artichokes,etc). Here is the web address to find out more: www.bountifulbaskets.org/
My state has a fuel surcharge for trucking on the basket but closer states do not. There is no additional charge for the add-on boxes. This is run by volunteers so you do have to volunteer once every two months. But then you get to pick a free item so you win again and voluteering helps keep the prices down. The people in my group are nice to find me something easy to do to work around the health problem - I don't carry cases. They also have carts to carry the big stuff.
I've been doing this for a year and really like it. The quality has been wonderful and my friends are just wishing there was more stuff I didn't like so they can get some too. Not everyone wants to order a whole box of unknowns. It has been a very nice adventure to get more produce in our meals this way. Some of it is not avaiable in the stores here at all.

[alicia99]

Also, Azure Standard out of Oregon carries organic produce. They also have a trucking system or you can have it sent by the more expensive UPS. Check them out at www.azurestandard.com Prices vary widely. You can call them to find the nearest buying club contact person.