Farmers Markets

May 27, 2006 - Local Farmers Market Visit

A warm sunny day on a long weekend was a perfect day for some early in the season Farmer's Markets visiting and shopping. This will also be a submission to the Farmer's Markets Worldwide Parade cohosted by Cooking Diva Melissa. Till a generation ago my family members were farmers hence this is a topic dear to my heart and had blogged about it earlier. When I saw the link to Farmer's Market Worldwide Parade Event on Mahanandi I wanted to participate. Most open air Farmers Market in this area (Washington D.C and suburbs) do not open until June and the widest variety of fruits and vegetables found during July and August. Most of the Farmers Market around the area sell produce that have been locally grown. There are a few which are open as early as May, so armed with a camera and an enthusiastic helper we went Farmers Marketing.



Main Streets Farmer's Market, Kentlands, Maryland is a small open air market in the newly built Kentlands town center and is open on Saturdays between 10AM - 2PM May thru Mid October. This early in the season there are spring greens, vegetable and flower plants and a few fruits and vegetables. We also found a stall selling wooden furniture. It is close to home and parking is usually not a problem.

Strawberries


Cucumbers


Tomatoes


Locally Made Furniture


Taking the camera over while I was shopping and chatting up with the farmers my daughter made sure every stall was covered.








We also visited the Rockville's Farmers Market in Rockville, Maryland. We found apples, seasonal greens, vegetable and flower plants and also a bakery stall with yummy baked goodies. We munched on cinnamon chip scones(the first time I have tasted them) while walking around the market.










This summer when we visit my hometown in India, I want to add pictures of farmers markets there called Uzhavar Sandai which are noisy, crowded, chaotic affairs compared to the orderely and organized atmosphere of the markets here in the US. But I loved visiting those as a child and am looking forward to taking my daughters there.

May 13, 2006 Original Post

May 13, 2006 Original Post
Farmers Markets
Another Summer time activity to look forward to is visits to the local Farmers Market. Don't hesitate to take your kids along it is an excellent opportunity for them to learn and enjoy. My daughter was so amazed that this lady could make soap in her own home, she wanted to buy some :). The first time I visited a Farmers Market I was amazed at the variety of brinjals(egg plant) besides the other fresh produce they had. I chatted with one of farmers who said they had atleast 40 different varieties, they even had one which was orange in color.


I was so excited with the display of fresh veggies I was running here and there trying to buy up everything I saw and my daughter had to bring me down to earth saying "amma how are you ever going to cook up all these vegetables". The point is you will be amazed at the display and you will always go back for more. Farmers markets enable the local farmers to sustain and earn their livelihood. Most of the time the produce are naturally grown without artificial fertilizers or pesticides and best of all they do not have to be transported long distances. For people who live in the east coast buying organic food grown in the West coast almosts defeats the purpose of organic farms, when so much fossil fuel had to be utilized to transport them. You can find your local farmers market here that is if you live in the USA. In India (TamilNadu) it is called uzhavar sandai, I have been to one of those too and was pretty amazed. Also get nostalgic thinking of those days growing up when we used to spend our summers in our grandfather's village/farm (thottam) climbing Mango trees swimming in the river and feel sad that my kids don't get that opportunity so we take whatever little we can get. Good old days!


CSA - Community Supported Agriculture
The concept of CSA is also pretty neat, and you do your part to support the local farmers. You prepay a certain amount kind of like a subscription to a farm and during June-November (depends on the local area) every week you get vegetables that have been harvested that weeek. Some farms also sell meat and eggs. You might get vegetables you already know of or new vegetables that you might try out and be surprised. Learn more CSA here.
Like the Washington Post says it is a A Weekly Taste of the harvest

If you do visit a Farmers Market or Uzhavar Sandai or whatever it is called in your neck of the woods, do share your story.