Fiber Fool

We have are lucky to have three different organizers of Farmer’s Markets, with the opportunity to go to one Wednesday afternoon (only if you don’t work a day job, sadly), Saturday morning, Saturday mid-day and Sunday mid-day. My favorite is the Saturday morning one in Old Town. Sadly, their hours do not mesh well with my yoga schedule so this last Saturday was the first and only market I’ve made it to this year :-( It is sad. But I’m hoping to make it more regularly until the end of the season. There are many reasons to enjoy it:

1. It is like a mini-festival/fair celebrating local goods and talents without the super huge crowds of other annual festivals in Old Town. And frankly, the market is more up my alley than most of those festivals anyway.

2. Super fresh produce, grown sustainably with much more flavor and nutrition than supermarket produce!

3. The ability to speak with the grower and/or harvester and learn about the varieties that are available each week and get cooking recommendations.

4. While most think of farmer’s markets as being about produce, there is a variety of wonderful locally made prepared foods at our market too. Nut butters (we just got a yummy almond espresso one this last week), hot sauces, salsas, pastas, baked goods, cheeses, wines, chocolate, and locally roasted coffees!

5. There are even some great non-food prepared items such as lotions, soaps, an amazing balm for sore muscles, emu oil and of course various craft items from jewelry to bags and aprons. I didn’t see any this week, but I have sometimes seen fiber and yarn available as well.

6. Music! It seems most weeks there is some musical group serrenading shoppers and darn it takes a lot to stand on an asphalt parking lot in the glaring sun at nearly a mile high and play your instrument with a smile on your face!

7. The local extension office is always there with lots of great info on food preparation and storage, including handing out schedules for canning, food drying and other similar types of classes that can be taken.

8. While we don’t have kids, I appreciate the booths directed specifically at them. Often there is facepainting and sometimes another booth with storytimes or little games for them to play.

9. The location and time. While the timing hasn’t worked horribly well with my liking to go to Yin yoga on Saturdays this summer, I do like that it is early morning. You can be done and off the asphalt before it gets super hot. It also gets us downtown where we can also patronize other local businesses, whether it is to enjoy a prepared coffee beverage or brunch somewhere or to finish our food shopping at the local Co-Op or pick up a few things at the ACE Hardware.

10. Going just feels like a celebration of community and makes me feel more integrated and invested in my local businesses.