A Perfect Day for a Farmer’s Market
Yesterday morning I got up early and headed down to the Carrollton Farmer’s Market. I was hoping for mountains of produce, since it is the peak of the growing season here in NE Ohio. I was also on the hunt for a bushel or two of tomatoes to can. The sign promised: sweet corn, melons, tomatoes and more! How exciting.
I have a system for shopping at the market, first I walk around and look at all the booths trying to decide what I want, then I buy on my second round. I try to buy from smaller booths with less produce (these are usually the smaller farmer’s or individuals that do it as a hobby).
There were booths full of melons of all different sizes and colors, tomatoes in every color, shape and size as well. I always ask if they are home grown and chemical free (I have been to farmer’s markets where I have seen the same boxes of melons in the back of the trucks that you see at the big grocery store – beware of these booths. There are none of these at the Carrollton Market though)
I was surprised at the lack of zucchinis, prolific producers that they are, I think I bought the only 2 that I saw. Or perhaps my lack of zucchini growing skills was actually a product of the kind of summer we were having and had nothing to do with my lack of skill. The fresh fruit stand was particularly intriguing with baskets of apples, pears, plums and peaches.
So what made it into my reusable shopping bags on this trip to the market?
1 bushel of tomatoes for canning
1/2 bushel or roma tomatoes for roasting
1 bunch of carrots
1 eggplant
5 purple & white peppers
2 pints of grape tomatoes (yellow & red)
2 bags of potatoes (1 new potatoes, 1 big baking)
1 quart of green beans
6 red onions
7 heirloom tomatoes
1 quart yellow tomatoes
2 doz. ears of sweet corn
1 cantaloupe
1 watermelon
1 large green striped zucchini
1 large yellow summer squash
1 peck of cooking apples
7 lbs of sausage (local naturally raised pork).
Looks like we’ll be getting our full share of veggies this week, and all of this only cost me $50.
Currently we have a bountiful table (and counter).
Tonight the tomatoes will be roasted and tomorrow they will be canned for delicious winter sauces. We enjoyed the corn last night for supper (the remainder was cut off the cob and frozen) and we had some sausage cooked up this morning with delicious local eggs on a homemade sourdough english muffins. What delicious local food did you buy at the farmer’s market for this holiday weekend?
How fun and yummy! We sold a couple goats to 2 ladies in the Carrolton area and I have been there before too.
to Pine Pod Farm's comment
You are so lucky to have such a productive farmers’ market nearby! I enjoyed reading this post…your produce choices look wonderful. Those tomatoes look really good. Maybe you could make a homemade tomato soup with basil?
Or, make stuffed tomatoes with the sausage and some ground beef along with herbs and other seasonings!
to Joe's comment
Oh yes Joe. The heirloom tomatoes I bought are good for stuffing, and that sausage I bought would be perfect! Perhaps dinner tomorrow will include that.
to Susy's comment
[…] her limit). She got to take 3 car rides this weekend. Saturday morning she went with me to the farmer’s market. Funny enough, she doesn’t like to have her photo taken, so this is what happened when she […]
to A Perfect Chiots Weekend at Chiot’s Run's comment
[…] I was in a grocery store recently (which is a rare occurrence for me), I needed kosher salt which isn’t sold at the farmer’s market. I walked through the produce section to see what they had and I was surprised by the price of tomatoes! Heirloom tomatoes for $3.99 a pound – WOW. I bought a half bushel (which is probably 8-10lbs) at the farmer’s market for only $4.50 (and they looked much nicer). I knew I was saving money by shopping there, but I didn’t realize how much (and the I know the farmer would much rather sell them directly to me because they’ll make more money). While there, I also noticed that they had a section of local produce. Unfortunately it was only corn, zucchini, spaghetti squash and green peppers. I know local farmer’s are growing much more than that! It is great that the store is buying some local produce, but this won’t get me back to the grocery store. I would rather be out in the fresh air talking to the people who grow my food. I would rather hand the farmer my $20 rather than a big box grocery chain. Not to mention, the produce is much nicer at the farmer’s market! […]
to Local Produce at The Grocery Store at Chiot’s Run's comment