Farmers Markets 2016

[joiei]

Stopped off at the Cherry Street Farmers Market in Tulsa this morning.  First day of the season.  It was beautiful weather and so fun.  Lots of people shopping.  I picked up some spinach and radishes (need some butter) and some tulips.   Almost got some bacon but resisted.  It has been interesting watching this market go from just a little thing in a parking lot to being the premier Farmers Market in the whole state of Oklahoma and knowing that I was a part of it.  Life is good, now to go find some really good butter to go with those radishes. 

[kayb]

Our farmers market doesn't open until next month, but the produce stand that sets up at a closed gas station in my neighborhood opened yesterday. I know their stuff comes in from Florida or the Rio Grande Valley, but it still feels like it's fresher and better than grocery store produce. I picked up green beans, okra, zucchini and yellow squash, and we'll have a veggie dinner after church tomorrow. The cantaloupes were two for three bucks at Kroger -- at that price, if they're not fit to eat, I'll chunk them, but I'm hoping they'll be decent.

 

[cyalexa]

The Stillwater Farmers' Market is open year 'round but today was the first day back at the outside location. Everything comes from this (Payne) or the two closest counties. About half of the vendors were present. Lots of asparagus, greens, and lettuce. A fair amount of radishes, baby beets, cut herbs, spring onions, baby turnips, cut flowers and bedding plants. Winter squash and potatoes from storage. Two vendors with beef, two with eggs, one with chicken, one with local honey, one with jellies and preserves, one with prepared Mexican food. My Recipe Table was back after the winter hiatus. I enjoyed my morning and visiting with friends I hadn't seen in a while but only gave away a few recipes. 

[David Ross]

Our bountiful morel season continues, picked by a man I call the old hippy guy.  A good size bag for $10.  And the first of the season strawberries from East of the Cascades, berries from Hermiston, Oregon. 

[sartoric]

Part of the haul from our local farmers market this morning.

 

Not pictured, last of this seasons fresh bamboo shoot, tumeric and local garlic.

We also scored a potted Vietnamese mint.

 

[Thanks for the Crepes]

@sartoric, I think I recognize almost everything in your nice haul: pineapple, lemongrass, Roma tomatoes, a nice leek, and a bowl/basket of lemons and limes.

 

What is the bumpy skinned dark green fruit on top of the citrus bowl at the right? It looks a bit like a Haas avocado, but not really like what we get here.

[sartoric]

Correct TftC, it's an avocado. 

[liamsaunt]

Bumping this thread because the tomatoes have finally come in!  Here is what I picked up at my Saturday farmer's market. I also got some swordfish steaks and soft pretzels but could not fit those in the picture.  The ravioli is filled with spicy roasted peppers and goat cheese.  The thin bottle is lemon flavored olive oil.   I am using the cherry tomatoes, basil, wine, bread, swordfish, lettuce, and squash for today's group meal.  The eggplant and onions are destined for a curry on Tuesday evening.

 

[Tere]

That produce looks lovely!

[David Ross]

It doesn't seem right to have juicy, ripe, sweet peaches in Eastern, Washington, the third week of July.  We usually can't get our hands on a good peach around here until late August, but their early arrival doesn't mean they aren't good. This is probably the tastiest peach crop in years. 

 

 

[David Ross]

This weekend I visited the Yakima Farmer's Market.  Yakima is in the heart of Washington's agricultural region and this is the perfect time of year to visit the farm stands and markets throughout the Yakima River Valley.  (And to stop and taste at one of the local wineries or breweries). 

 

I always drive off the freeways and highways and take the country roads, allowing for the opportunity to stop along the roadside and take pictures and be close to the crops and livestock in the fields. There were acres and acres of hops strung on poles reaching upwards of 20' and winery after winery. 

 

This is one of many hundreds of acres of sweet corn that is just days from harvesting.  These corn stalks were at least 8 feet high and the ears were huge-

 

The market is downtown in front of the historic Capitol Theatre.  The re-painted sing on the building reads "public attractions, music festivals and vaudeville"-

 

 

I've never seen fresh purslane before-

 

 

 

Bushel after bushel of squash blossoms-

 

All manner of peppers-

 

Siberian Garlic?

 

I'll be using the blackberries in a puff pastry tart for our Summer Fruits Cook-Off here,

 

[FrogPrincesse]

7 minutes ago, David Ross said:

This weekend I visited the Yakima Farmer's Market.  Yakima is in the heart of Washington's agricultural region and this is the perfect time of year to visit the farm stands and markets throughout the Yakima River Valley.  (And to stop and taste at one of the local wineries or breweries). 

 

I always drive off the freeways and highways and take the country roads, allowing for the opportunity to stop along the roadside and take pictures and be close to the crops and livestock in the fields. There were acres and acres of hops strung on poles reaching upwards of 20' and winery after winery. 

Wonderful Great pictures.

 

Did you take any pictures of the hop fields by any chance? As a hophead, I find this fascinating.

 

Edited August 8, 2016 by FrogPrincesse (log)

[David Ross]

I was so fascinated I didn't stop the truck to get a hop photo.  I grew up in the Willamette Valley in Oregon and we had hops, but not like the hop fields around Yakima.  There were acres and acres, hundreds of acres.  They towered well over 20' high on vines wrapping around an intricate set of poles and wires.  It's really a sight to behold, and this time of year they are close to harvest.  There is a Washington Hop Museum in Toppenish, which is about 20 miles South of Yakima.  When we talk about craft breweries these days, I'm quite sure a lot of the hops come from this area.

[FrogPrincesse]

1 hour ago, David Ross said:

I was so fascinated I didn't stop the truck to get a hop photo.  I grew up in the Willamette Valley in Oregon and we had hops, but not like the hop fields around Yakima.  There were acres and acres, hundreds of acres.  They towered well over 20' high on vines wrapping around an intricate set of poles and wires.  It's really a sight to behold, and this time of year they are close to harvest.  There is a Washington Hop Museum in Toppenish, which is about 20 miles South of Yakima.  When we talk about craft breweries these days, I'm quite sure a lot of the hops come from this area.

 

Of course. Yakima Valley is the main hop-growing area in the US, and one of the most important in the world. And actually there is such a high demand, crops are bought years in advance. It's predicted that at some point in the near future there won't be enough around given the current popularity of highly hopped beers.

Edited August 8, 2016 by FrogPrincesse
typo (log)

[Thanks for the Crepes]

5 hours ago, FrogPrincesse said:

Did you take any pictures of the hop fields by any chance? As a hophead, I find this fascinating.

 

There's some images of the 2015 Yakima Valley hop harvest on the Lagunitas site, including some of the plants growing in the field.

[Kerry Beal]

Stopped in at the Farmer's Market in Dunnville, Ontario this morning for a few items to cook in my Instant Pot at work. Should have thought to take a picture of the market itself.

 

 

Grabbed a basket of peaches for the nurses. They are eating them but not as fast as the chocolate I brought.

 

 

To make some sautéed green beans.

 

 

6 lovely cobs that I will take home (or have for dinner)!

 

 

[David Ross]

Angelus peaches from Green Bluff, a cluster of fruit growers in the foothills of Mount Spokane.

[Smithy]

We visited the Savage, MN Farmers' Market today on the way home from a family visit.  I have been trying - and to some degree succeeding - in not overbuying food.  Today, the dam burst.  I want to make marinated eggplant. I want to do some stir fries with smaller eggplant.  The onions and chiles and garlic were beautiful.  Beets!  I also treated myself to a lavish and luxuriant flower bouquet.

 

On the way home, we stopped at a roadside stand.  Freshly-dug russet potatoes: a 20-pound bag for $5.  Fresh potatoes are amazing!  The local corn is coming in, too. And the Colorado peaches are in!

 

Now, I have to live up to my ambition.  

 

 

[Okanagancook]

Those potatoes were a steal!  You are right, absolutely nothing better than fresh potatoes.

[Smithy]

7 hours ago, Okanagancook said:

Those potatoes were a steal!  You are right, absolutely nothing better than fresh potatoes.

 

I could have bought 40 pounds for $9 instead of 20 pounds for $5.  I was mightily tempted.  I *think* I made the right decision, given our lack of temporal and physical space, but I still wish I'd had time/space for more.