Farmers' Markets
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Farmers markets often provide the best opportunity to
get fresh, high-quality produce at good prices, but
smart shopping still helps.
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Farmers' markets are popping up all across the country,
and for people who can't grow gardens, this is the best
opportunity to get the best produce in town. Plus, it's an
opportunity to meet the people who are growing the goods.
There's nothing like the sights and sounds of shopping at
the farmers' market. Where else can you get good bargains on
rows upon rows of freshly picked produce? And better
yet--you can find out from the grower the best way to
prepare it. Most of the growers have one thing in
common--they're all family-run operations passed on from one
generation to the next.
1. Where is your farm located?
2. How much fertilizer and pesticides do you use? If it's a
conventional farm and they use only the amount that's
prescribed by law, it's probably pretty safe.
3. Are you an organic grower? Certification is important to
some people.
Organic potatoes have a flavor unmatched by anything
else. As far as picking out the perfect produce, it all
depends on when and how you're going to use it. Bonnie has a
few pointers:
When you're looking for a carrot, you want something
that's really, really firm to touch--not something that
wiggles.
Green beans should be slender, without bumps.
When you choose a zucchini, choose a size that's
appropriate for the dish you're planning to prepare.
Look for a tomato that's going to be as ripe as you want
it, when you want it. Look for a tomato that's nice and firm
to touch. And if you have to lay them out on a brown paper
bag in a shady area to ripen overnight, so be it.
Sweet corn is also a very popular vegetable at the
farmer's market. One type is called Seneca Brave, a
sugar-enhanced variety. It has a sugar content of 30-35
percent. It's a bi-color kernel--both white and yellow
kernels, and it's tender.
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