Farmers' Markets 2021—

[liuzhou]

Just now, blue_dolphin said:

 

Sorry there's a bit of a reflection.  They are homegrown sweet onions @ $1.99/lb

 

 

Thank you!

[Margaret Pilgrim]

@weinoo  Prime produce is not cheap for most shoppers in California.    In SF we have two tiers of produce.    Organic farmer's markets and premium markets are expensive.   Like really expensive.   Civic Center and Alemany farmer's markets are relatively reasonable, as are Asian markets.    Country road stands can be dirt cheap or more likely market priced.   Like the old hitchhiking joke, nobody rides for free.

[weinoo]

3 hours ago, Margaret Pilgrim said:

Prime produce is not cheap for most shoppers in California. 

 

Where is prime produce cheap?

[Margaret Pilgrim]

On 7/25/2021 at 5:58 AM, weinoo said:

I know how everyone thinks the prices in NY are very expensive. But those prices at Shamrock Farm are right in the ballpark!

 

5 minutes ago, weinoo said:

 

Where is prime produce cheap?

 

I was supporting your previous statement by suggesting that we pay a lot for good stuff here, too.

[weinoo]

And in Canada too!

[Okanagancook]

13 hours ago, Margaret Pilgrim said:

@weinoo  Prime produce is not cheap for most shoppers in California.    In SF we have two tiers of produce.    Organic farmer's markets and premium markets are expensive.   Like really expensive.   Civic Center and Alemany farmer's markets are relatively reasonable, as are Asian markets.    Country road stands can be dirt cheap or more likely market priced.   Like the old hitchhiking joke, nobody rides for free.

Well, it is hard work looking after a veggie patch, picking, cleaning, bundling and tending the sales table.  Seeds are not cheap either and then here is growing seedlings prior to planting.

[kayb]

On 7/28/2021 at 12:16 PM, weinoo said:

 

Where is prime produce cheap?

 

Rural West Tennessee, in my experience. A friend in my home town has begun vegetable gardening commercially. Along with selling at his own market, he takes produce to Memphis, 3 hours away, every Saturday to sell at the Farmers Market, because he can get between 3 and 4 times what he gets in beautiful downtown Camden, population about 3,500.

 

By way of comparison, I've bought local asparagus at $5 a pound at the Memphis market, and been happy to pay it, and tomatoes $5 for a 2-2 1/2 pound basket.

 

[FauxPas]

I'm somewhat embarrassed at how bad these photos are and how poorly they represent the variety of vendors at this local market. It really is a nice and diverse market, super popular and fun to wander around when I have the time. I was in a hurry yesterday so only snapped a few quick pics. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I picked up some pickling cukes, strawberries, onions, peas. 

And then some of the cukes became pickles. 

 

 

[Okanagancook]

Thanks for the pictures.  I am eyeing those fabulous looking leeks.

[heidih]

Looks good to me. Any true farmers marker touches my heart and those ornamental sunflowers are so joyful.

[kayb]

Spending much of this week with Child B helping her get her new house organized. She is about 10 minutes from the Agricenter, which houses Memphis/Shelby County's big farmers market. Monday-Saturday, 8-5:30. I obviously had to go.

 

I am now super jealous of the child, who does not cook, living that near a superb market. I suspect the Friday-Saturday vendor list is even larger.

 

[FauxPas]

One place we go to regularly during the summer is a farm called Berry Best. They grow a variety of things themselves but also bring in some fruit from the Okanagan (peaches, plums, apricots, cherries) - all organic. You may pay a bit extra for their fruit but it's really delicious and very carefully picked. For example, the strawberries are handled minimally as the fruit is usually snipped off by the stem. So Jane's berries are gorgeous, and also amazingly full-flavoured. She grows 3 different varieties of blueberries that vary in terms of tart vs sweet, and you can pick the variety you like so buy one type for pies, another for eating fresh. Her raspberries are amazing, also picked each morning fresh.

 

She doesn't open until 10 or 11, to allow time for picking and packing as she does supply some local stores and other businesses. If you are looking for jam berries, she will usually have some less than perfect fruit for a reduced price. Once we had Jane's berries, we were reluctant to go anywhere else. And even though we can get a better deal on stone fruit at the supermarket or some other stores, we know hers are coming from small organic farms that care about quality and are carefully transported. The first peaches we had this year were from her, they were some of the best peaches we had ever had. My husband ate his over the sink. I cut mine into slices and savoured every last little bite. I made a peach cobbler but it almost seemed wrong to cook them. 

 

I realize that my crappy photos are because I'm really a bit shy of taking photos in stores/businesses. And this is a small farmstand/store. But keep in mind that we are a small community and my pictures were taken toward the end of the day when a lot had already been sold. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[heidih]

Nicely laid out. Strawberries! - I had an older Japanese farmer (local within couple miles) who picked in the morning. Her hands were perma stained - those cracks working hands get. Miss her so. Love the decorative sunflowers as well. I saw a guy at grocery store buying generic lily etc bunch and said look see those sunnies they will make her smile  He did both . Men!

Edited August 8, 2021 by heidih (log)

[FauxPas]

 Our biggest standalone farmstand by volume is certainly Sieffert's. They grow a lot, enough to supply several local grocery stores with a variety of their produce. And I love that the local groceries, even large chain ones like Sobey's, still contract with Sieffert's and other local farms to make sure they get fresh, local produce. This is one busy farmstand and they are always bringing stuff in throughout the day. I tried to find a quieter time to take pictures, which is later in the day so they did sell out of some of their fruit and veggies. 

 

 

 

They always have a variety of old farm equipment in the parking area, filled with various flowering plants. 

 

 

One of the fields adjacent to the farmstand is filling up with sunflowers and pumpkins! 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 8, 2021 by FauxPas (log)

[FauxPas]

They have good bulk prices on some produce and I believe they are mostly organic as well, but I don't know if they are certified organic. 

 

But this is the place to come or to order online for bulk tomatoes or cabbage or pickling cukes. And they have so many varieties of corn, so much fun to try the different ones through the growing season. So far, it's been Kickstart, Anthem, Fastlane and probably some others that I missed. 

 

 

Some bags of pickling cukes in the top left, dill in the front. 

 

 

 

Their field cukes are usually a good deal, but they have large English cukes and Persian cukes as well. 

 

 

They always have a variety of tomatoes, since they have some greenhouses. 

 

 

I love their ceiling lights, the watering cans are a nice touch! 

 

[rotuts]

@FauxPas 

 

and a Morris to boot !

 

nice

[FauxPas]

It's October and Shamrock Farms is always open for the lead-up to Hallowe'en, with some great barn decor! 

 

I loved the skeletons climbing up the edge of this entrance. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Shelby]

I love love love this place.  Wonder if they'd let me move in?  Thanks for showing us!  

 

I don't think my car would hold all of the stuff I'd wanna buy from there.

[Okanagancook]

Beautiful display.  I love fall markets.  Thanks for sharing.

[FauxPas]

1 hour ago, Shelby said:

I love love love this place.  Wonder if they'd let me move in?  Thanks for showing us!  

 

I don't think my car would hold all of the stuff I'd wanna buy from there.

I included the Shishito peppers, just for you, ha.  😃

[Shelby]

5 minutes ago, FauxPas said:

I included the Shishito peppers, just for you, ha.  😃

I KNEW it 😄

[liuzhou]

7 hours ago, FauxPas said:

some great barn decor!

 

Certainly is! Great looking produce, too. Thanks for sharing.

[lindag]

Our little (Hutterite) farmers' market is winding down now.  Not much left.

I did buy some garlic and some canned corn and a lovely buttercup squash.

I'll miss all those beautiful vegetables they had.

[kayb]

Spent about four times as much money as I normally do at the Farmers Market Saturday, though we're down to a handful of vendors. One of them was my favorite nursery, selling massive (crown is at least 2.5, maybe three feet across) potted chrysanthemums. I bought four, and he threw in one free. Plus picked up my previously-ordered Thanksgiving turkey, and on impulse got some pork steaks from the same vendor. 

 

Sunflowers, zinnias, okra, zucchini and about the last summer squash of the season finished things up. Oh, and green tomatoes; last tomatoes of the season, too.

 

[heidih]

We drove past most local FM on way back from a way less than memorable breakfast. I was twitching but my ride had an appointment. We are hoping for next Sunday. Open 8 to 1 and was jammed at 11:30. Lots of vendors. Can't wait. Last time there was beginning of Pandemic and they were really good about  distancing even then, and masking, and letting them (gloved) pick instead of folks rifling  thru stuff.