I absolutely adore my local Farmer’s Market! The fresh, abundant and local fruits and vegetables are amazing and so much tastier than the produce you buy at your chain grocery store. Don’t get me wrong, there is a time for the regular grocery store, but nothing beats your local Farmer’s Market!
Each week, I head downtown where the Farmer’s Market is held and walk amongst the people, farmers and the warm friendly, loving energy of the atmosphere. The live music is great as you shop and talk to people. Watching the little kids get their faces painted is so cute and truly sets the tone of the market.
Take your pick, from fresh seasonal fruits, such as peaches, plums, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries to the crisp and often organic vegetables such as squash, heirloom tomatoes, lettuce, fresh herbs….ah mint, basil, and cilantro!!! Oh my! I just can’t get enough!! Or, the beautiful bouquet of flowers with summertime favorites such as lilies, cream, pink and lavender hydrangeas and of course roses!! The list goes on and on!!!
So, if you’ve never had your pick of bounty from a Farmer’s Market, here are 3 simple tips to keep in mind! Trust me, I learned the hard way.
#1. Always take cash.
$40 in CASH takes you a loooooong way and is probably more than enough! I had bags and bags of fruit, vegetables and flowers for less than probably thirty bucks! Cash is king at the Farmer’s Market as many of the local farmers don’t have the savvy credit card systems or even the square devices (sadly). I kept asking vendor after vendor if they take credit cards and MOST said no.
Note to self for the future…..just bring a few dollars! Keep it simple.
#2. Dress light, wear sunscreen and a hat.
Where I live in the Bay Area is extremely hot! Most Farmer’s Market’s take place outdoors and usually occurs in a downtown or central location in your city. Be on the safe side and dress in light layers. I usually get started around 8-9AM and the sun is shining hard. I forgot to wear a hat once so the sun was beaming directly on my head! As I was walking to my car in the near 90-degree heat at 10AM carrying bags and bags of produce, I thought to myself, next time wear a hat! I don’t know about you but I like to stay as cool as possible.
#3 Being your own large shopping bag.
Yes, the Farmers have plastic or paper bags for all of your delicious goodies, but walking around with six separate bags and a bouquet or two of flowers is not at all comfortable or fun, especially when you keep dropping bags because your hands can no longer hold anything else!
Once I got to my car, I realized I had several large shopping bags in my trunk!! Oh Danyelle!! LOL
05