Farmers' Markets 2015

[kayb]

No photo today,as I'd put everything away before I thought about it. New at the market this week, snow peas and new potatoes, so I got some of both. Tomatoes. Asparagus. Eggs. Strawberries, nearing the end of their season.

[huiray]

Ramps today from the same fellow at a local market who had rather expensive stuff two weeks ago - but today he had a lot more of them and they were decent stuff at $10/lb albeit with their roots and bottoms of the bulbs already chopped off.  See here for a pic of them.

[huiray]

Today at the Broad Ripple Farmers' Market and the Carmel Farmers' Market - see here for descriptions and pictures.

 

Dang, it turns out that the lady from whom I've got young fresh ginger (with pink bracts and all) in the past didn't plant any successfully for this year.  Two strikes against my anticipated vendor-supplier list for this year.

[Okanagancook]

New vendor of mushrooms at the farmers market on Saturday.  He was just growing enough to supply restaurants to begin with but now his production is high enough that he will be selling at the market.  Delicious oyster mushrooms.  In perfect condition.  All for $6 Cdn.

[Anna N]

Okanagancook,

That is the most beautiful spray of oyster mushrooms I have ever seen. Eye candy and food porn all wrapped up in one.

[Okanagancook]

Aren't they beautiful.  They were pristine.  Here are a couple more angles.   Can't wait until next Saturday Market Day.

[kayb]

New vendor of mushrooms at the farmers market on Saturday.  He was just growing enough to supply restaurants to begin with but now his production is high enough that he will be selling at the market.  Delicious oyster mushrooms.  In perfect condition.  All for $6 Cdn.DSC00846.JPG

 

Gorgeous!

[kayb]

Starting to pick up more variety in the market, as more veggies come in.

 

Today's haul: Tomatoes, both ripe and green; new potatoes, squash, asparagus, eggs, radishes, strawberries. Passed on hearts of romaine lettuce, got home and wished I hadn't. I may go back down there and pick some up.

 

 

They also had green beans, which I didn't get, and snow peas, along with lots of seedlings, tons of cut flowers, and the usual meats and baked goods.

[FauxPas]

One of our fave markets just opened, Sieffert Farm. They pick from their own fields and greenhouses but also bring in excellent produce from other local or regional BC growers (such as Okanagan fruit). Here are a few things we bought - green onions, young carrots, greenhouse Persian cukes, beets, potatoes. Also some small greenhouse tomatoes, not pictured. They call them Lunchbox tomatoes. 

 

 

The star item for us is  the new batch of local Warba 'nugget' potatoes. These small new potatoes are so fresh and creamy and are wonderful when steam-baked in the Cuisinart Steam Convection oven. We'll have some tonight with a grilled NY Strip Loin and some green onions. Side of sliced tomatoes and cukes. 

 

 

And not from a farm market but when I visit the farms, I sometimes stop by some of the nearby wineries, also. These are two of my faves. I love rosé wines in the summer.

 

The little stained-glass hummingbirds are made by a man down in Victoria BC. I adore them, but can't decide where to hang them, so I thought I would share them in a photo or two.  

 

 

 

Interesting side note: Beaufort Wines was recently bought by James Cameron, director of Avatar and Titanic. 

Edited May 23, 2015 by FauxPas (log)

[Okanagancook]

Those veggies look glorious.  Went to the Penticton Farmers Market this am in search of more of those fantastic oyster mushrooms but he was not there.  Probably sold all is product last week and now waiting for more to grow.  The Okanagan is about 3 to 4 weeks ahead so the cherries are getting fat on the trees.  Can't wait.  We have a local long time farmer who grows the most amazingly large, juicy, flavourful cherries which are way to big to fit into a cherry pitter

[huiray]

Today's purchases from BRFM and CFM.

[FauxPas]

The Okanagan is about 3 to 4 weeks ahead so the cherries are getting fat on the trees.  Can't wait.  We have a local long time farmer who grows the most amazingly large, juicy, flavourful cherries which are way to big to fit into a cherry pitter

 

We are salivating for Okanagan cherries down here, can't wait!

[kayb]

This morning's haul: Yellow squash, zucchini, tomatoes, asparagus, cucumbers, eggs, raspberries. We'll have blueberries and blackberries in the next two or three weeks, and corn should be in around the end of June. New stuff will be coming in thick and fast for the next six weeks. My favorite time of the year!

 

[FauxPas]

We bought a few basics today - spinach, beets, radishes, red butter lettuce, lunchbox tomatoes. Also some lovely snap peas. There were more peas, but we ate them on the way home. Mmmm! 

 

Annoying to buy some things that I could so easily grow myself. I really need a garden again! 

 

 

The star of the show today was the local strawberries. Quite early for them, but they are delicious. We bought them direct from one of the farms. I wanted to go to a U-Pick farm, but my husband opted for a pre-picked place.  

 

 

And honey, there were a few different producers at the market today. This man also makes mead. 

 

 

And some hazelnuts. I hope they have been stored properly since they must have been harvested in late Fall. Then again, they only cost a couple of dollars. 

 

Edited May 30, 2015 by FauxPas (log)

[huiray]

Today's selections from BRFM and CFM.

[kayb]

 

Things are really picking up at the market. Today's haul: Ripe tomatoes, green tomatoes, new potatoes, green beans, radishes, the last of the asparagus, eggs, cucumbers, broccoli, green onions, romaine, and BLUEBERRIES! (There are blueberry muffins in the oven as I type. Blueberry cobbler later.)

 

I passed up zucchini and yellow squash, as I still had some in the fridge. Didn't get peaches, either, as I had run out of cash and didn't feel like going to the ATM and coming back. I'll go back Tuesday evening and get them.

Edited June 6, 2015 by kayb (log)

[huiray]

Today's haul.

[huiray]

I didn't get much from BRFM and CFM today but I did pick up some beautiful dense, just-harvested clumps of baby criminis/portobellos.  See here.

[kayb]

Nice 'shrooms, huiray!

 

 

I TRIED to buy light this week, as I'm out of town tomorrow through Wednesday, but....

 

Blackberries, blueberries, squash, eggs, eggplant, tomatoes, new potatoes, kettle corn, early peaches. Peaches need to ripen and should be about ready when I get back. Eggplant and squash and potatoes should keep just fine.

 

 

[ElainaA]

I live more or less between two large farmer's markets: Ithaca and Syracuse (NY). The Ithaca market is lots of fun but strikes me as more of a performance art event than a true market. There are some wonderful stands of vegetables and two good bakeries  but they are outnumbered by the pottery, jewelry, the lady with the hand painted shoes and all the food - Cambodian! Thai! Pizza from a wood fired oven (on a truck bed that he brings with him)! Macro Mama! Souvlaki! Burritos! Crepes! Curry in a Hurry (my favorite actually)! (I know I've left a lot out), wineries - and lots of competing musicians.

I spent this morning at the Syracuse farmer's market. No musicians, only a few crafts but lots of veggies and fruit, cheese makers, locally raised meat,bakers, local honey and 2 pickle makers. I got 3 quarts of strawberries so this week  will see strawberry jam with pinot noir and also baked custard- something I make twice a year - strawberry season and blueberry season - and will enjoy for breakfast all week. I also got some lovely tomatoes that actually taste like tomatoes, some really good sweet gherkins, and 2 sfogliatelle, which, using great restraint, I brought home to share with my husband. It's too early for lots of veggies here (the tomatoes were green house) and a lot of what was there I have in my garden (garlic scapes, lettuce and other salad greens) but it sure was fun. Even without musicians.

I bought a lot of strawberries - maybe I'll make some other jam too - maybe Ferber's Strawberry with Raspberry Juice and Balsamic Vinegar - I have some of my own raspberries in the freezer from last year. 

 

I'm wondering about farmer's markets in other areas - which model do they follow? Performance art or a simpler model based more on food?

 

Elaina

Edited June 14, 2015 by ElainaA (log)

[Okanagancook]

We are salivating for Okanagan cherries down here, can't wait!

Cherries are getting close to ripe up here but at the Penticton market there were local cherries but from just south of us. Soon, next week probably. Forecast is for rain on Wednesday so the helicopters will be called out for sure. Another reason they are costly.

[Smithy]

I'm wondering about farmer's markets in other areas - which model do they follow? Performance art or a simpler model based more on food?

The Duluth, Minnesota Farmers' Market is more about the food. There's almost always a small group of acoustic musicians playing in the center of the building. They're more about jamming together than about entertainment, but of course it's both. Among the market stalls are a few craftsman types who sell soaps or beeswax candles, but most of it is produce, flowers, honey, preserves and baked goods. It's open now but our growing season has barely begun.

The Visalia, California Farmers' Market - downtown, Thursday evenings - is an open-air street affair with one or two electrified performers and a broader range of goods: cheeses, street food, artwork and crafts in addition to the produce and flowers. Thinking back on my last opportunity to go there, it was still more about the products than the performances. I'd sure love to get there again; there were excellent cheeses available.

[huiray]

 

I'm wondering about farmer's markets in other areas - which model do they follow? Performance art or a simpler model based more on food?

 

Have a look here, here, here, here in this thread.  In Indy they're all more about the food.  There are musicians performing at most but the musical aspect is a small part.  There are no circus acts, performance-art acts,** acrobats, etc.  Not that I am aware of, anyway, as I have not visited all of the markets in the Indy area.

 

** excepting the occasional chef demonstrations.

 

Have a look at these other two major metropolitan area websites for farmers' markets – for NYC; and for Chicago here, here, here.

 

In winter there's also this for Indy and this for Chicago.

[ElainaA]

Have a look here, here, here, here in this thread.  In Indy they're all more about the food.  There are musicians performing at most but the musical aspect is a small part.  There are no circus acts, performance-art acts,** acrobats, etc.  Not that I am aware of, anyway, as I have not visited all of the markets in the Indy area.

 

** excepting the occasional chef demonstrations.

 

Have a look at these other two major metropolitan area websites for farmers' markets – for NYC; and for Chicago here, here, here.

 

In winter there's also this for Indy and this for Chicago.

I think what it may come down to is that Ithaca, NY sees itself as performance art and it shows in the farmer's market. One of the popular bumper stickers says " Ithaca: 10 square miles surrounded by reality" 

 

Elaina

[huiray]

I think what it may come down to is that Ithaca, NY sees itself as performance art and it shows in the farmer's market. One of the popular bumper stickers says " Ithaca: 10 square miles surrounded by reality" 

 

Elaina

 

Heh.  Ithaca also has more restaurants per capita than NYC.