You know it’s summertime when your weekend plans include visiting your local farmers market. As a budding gardener myself, I crave fresh and locally grown produce. But there’s also a certain vibe to visiting a local market.
It reminds me of being a little girl and my aunt taking me and my sister to the market with her. I remember walking around the booths and seeing her grab fresh produce. She would always take us to the Asian-style grocery store nearby for a sweet treat before we went back home.
Now, I enjoy walking through the farmers market in Kansas City called City Market and literally shop for my groceries for the week. In the past, I’ve scored some great deals on produce, such as the very trendy pink pineapple for just $8, the most delicious and fresh garlic and tomatoes, or Lion’s Mane Mushrooms, just to name a few.
What are the Benefits?
Supporting your local farmers market impacts your community directly. Food grown and produced in your city or state is likely less expensive to produce due to a shorter shipping cost, wholesale prices, and other fees to get items in the stores.
If you talk with the farmer you are purchasing from, they’ll likely be very detailed about how their crops are grown. You’ll likely learn it’s very sustainable since it is not mass-produced.
Though I won’t venture to say it will be cheaper than the grocery stores, it might be comparable to the price of organic foods. That’s why I love to chat with the farmers if I can about their products. I had an awesome conversation with a garlic farmer. He really explained why his product was special (sales-y yes!) and unique, but also what it was different from in the stores. I also had a nice conversation about growing zucchini with another farmer. That was helpful for my personal garden.
Ultimately, I like to consider a farmers market as a collective of small businesses. If you like to shop local, you’ll like to shop at a farmers market too!
So you’re probably ready to head out to the farmers market now, right? Here are a few tips that help me:
Don’t Make a List
You’ll want to allow what’s available, in season or abundance, to be your guide while shopping. If you are a frequent shopper and you know that one place (like for me, there’s a spice spot) has things you normally pick up, a list is okay. But ultimately, know that the farmers are bringing what’s freshly harvested to sale. Tap into that!
See what’s fresh
Don’t be afraid to talk to the farmers or people selling at the market. Ask what they like to do with their crops to gain some ideas. I talked to a tomato farmer who explained how he makes homemade salsa and marinara. I still use a similar recipe to this day for his recommendation of marinara.
Timing Matters
The early bird might get the worm, but the latecomer could get a discount. If you are already towards the end of the market, there’s a 50/50 chance you can cut a deal. The farmer probably doesn’t want to carry lots of crops back with them and would like them to go home with you. But if the crisp morning air and fewer crowds fit your bill, you’ll have first dibs. Choose your own adventure.
Know Your Budget
I wouldn’t be Morgane, if I didn’t recommend you know your budget before going. I typically have to take out cold, hard cash to shop at my market, so that helps me stick to my budget. Know how much you are willing to spend before you go.
When you are there:
Don’t forget to carry reusable bags with you. If you are big-time and fancy, a wagon for your finds and maybe the kiddos is also a great idea. Also, be sure you’ve looked around at all the booths or displays before you drop your coin on anything. Prices may vary from booth to booth, and you’ll want to make a good decision based on the price and the quality of the product.
Here’s what I made on my recent farmers’ market trip:
Recipes:
Caramelized Onion Mushroom and Asparagus Galette
Galette Crust
- 1 3/4 cup All Purpose Flour
- 1 Tbsp Organic Sugar
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/2 cup Vegan Butter
- About 3/4 cup of Ice Cold Water
- Non-dairy milk for brushing on top
Coconut & Tofu Cream Sauce
- Half a block of Silken Tofu the firm will work too
- 1/2 cup Canned Coconut Milk
- 2 tsp Miso Paste
- 2 tsp Lemon Juice
Cooked Veggies
- Mushrooms
- Caramelized onions
- Asparagus
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 375F.
- Prepare your cream sauce in a blender.
- Prepare your veggies by sautéing or roasting them.
- Prepare your crust by Whisking together the all-purpose flour, salt, and sugar. Add the vegan butter and cut it with two knives or a pastry cutter until crumbly. The butter pieces should be about pea-sized. Add the ice-cold water little by little until the dough comes together. Check the dryness, as you might not need all the water. Once the dough comes together, wrap it in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Unwrap the pastry dough and place it on lightly floured parchment paper.
- Roll out the dough until it’s about 1/4in thick. No need to be perfect… this is rustic anyway.
- Assemble your layers of cooked veggies into the pie crust. Then add your cream sauce.
- Fold the dough over. Remember, it’s going to be rustic.
- Brush the rim with your plant-based milk.
- Bake for 45-60 minutes until browned to your liking. You can also use your broiler after 35 minutes on low. But be sure to watch your galette.
Homemade Marinara
- 3-5 Large tomatoes, I used beefsteaks, but Romas are great too
- 1 white onion
- 5-6 garlic cloves
- Seasonings: Basil, Oregano
- S&P
- EVOO
Instructions:
- Preheat your oven to 400F.
- Cut your tomato and onion, then place on a baking sheet. Add garlic cloves and seasonings to your veggies. Drizzle EVOO on top.
- Bake your veggies for 30-45 minutes. Allow them to cool before adding them to a food processor or blending.
Make-ahead Cuban ‘shrooms
- Juice of 2 oranges
- Juice of two limes
- 1 tsp Cumin
- 1 tsp Oregano
- 5 Garlic cloves, minced
- 2-4 trumpet mushrooms, shredded
- Add all ingredients to the slow cooker and turn on low for 6-8 hours.
- You can make the liquid ahead (orange juice, lime juice, seasonings, garlic) and drop shredded mushrooms when you wake up.