I contemplated going down the street to a farm just past our neighborhood, but when I saw on their website that they were having a big BBQ with live music, I thought I'd avoid the crowds and head downtown. Sounds a bit backwards actually.
The usual lot was so packed that there was a line of people just to pay for parking, so I searched for a metered spot. Found one by a cafe and paid for extra time since it looked to be pretty busy. In the past we've gone in the morning, so I didn't realize that by noon things were very busy! The Farmer's Market also happens to be in the same area as the Saturday Market, so about 4 city blocks are full of booths + people all day.
Something I really like about the Farmer's Market is that you can compare prices all in one place. I absolutely loath driving from store to store to find the best deal on anything. Most often I'll sacrifice a few pennies, or even dollars, to avoid driving to another store and getting in + out of the car over and over again. I think my intolerance of this came from being dragged around by my frugal mom for so many years. She could shop all day and then some, but I'm exhausted after 2 stops!
Another thing I love is how friendly everyone is. There is such a sense of community that happens while navigating your way through the locals on the same mission to buy food that someone has lovingly grown just down the street. The outside atmosphere and the bright displays of food + flowers is quite cheery compared to the florescent lights, elevator music, hurried people and shopping carts at the grocery store.
The bummer about the Farmer's Market though is that if someone runs out of something that you're waiting in line for, you've wasted your time. I had walked by a stand with some really ripe juicy peaches. They weren't on my list so I kept going. I came back however, because they looked so darn good. I stood in line and the guy in front of me bought the last box and I didn't see any other vendors selling peaches.
After walking up + down the block through the crowds and booths 3 times to compare prices I was done. I ended up with strawberries, blueberries + raspberries, as well as fresh lettuce + carrots. I really wanted tomatoes too but the only sellers that had them were asking a bit too much and they were already quite picked through.
It took me just 30 minutes to get what I needed and get back to the car where I had put some change in the expired meter behind mine only to find it ran out again and the car was still there. Oh well, I did what I could.
I got back home to Ben getting Malakai dressed for the day and prepared our lunch of fresh salad + berries. Something about eating food that has been freshly picked + washed just makes you feel good. It truly does taste so much better!
I'm newly inspired to rev up our garden {now that summer's over!}. I'm thinking of planting pumpkins in my empty garden bed and perhaps some sugar snaps along the fence on the other side of the house.
Where do you get your produce? Do you have a garden of your own? What do you grow there?
Just found your blog it is wonderful! The market photos are stunning--so vivid and you're right freshly picked and washed food is so much better. We have a garden: peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers and a pumpkin patch that is growing like crazy (though no pumpkins yet)there is nothing like the feeling when you grow your first veggie : )
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to reading more!
K
NewParent.com
I like farmer markets too but I usually just end up getting the stuff at Wal-Mart or Kroger. And no garden yet. My hubs wants one, but our yard isn't very condusive for that sort of thing. He's the one with the green thumb - I prefer to have someone else grow and tend and pick them (although picking them yourself can be fun)!
ReplyDeleteAmazing photographs by the way :)
thanks ladies. and I'll let you in on a little secret- I took those pictures with my cell phone! (an old EnV2)
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