Written By,
Anne Maxfield
The Accidental Locavore
When was the last time you shopped a farmers’ market? The Accidental Locavore loves shopping farmers’ markets and hope you do too! Today I’m going to share that love and you’ll leave with some insider’s tips on how to enjoy the best from your local farmers’ markets.
You’ll learn some do’s and don’ts on how to shop a farmers’ market, the perks of being a welcome customer and what to do with all that bounty once you get it home.
How to shop at a farmers’ market: Enjoy it. Give yourself time to wander, take in all the amazing stuff that’s there. Cruise the market and then go back to the stands that have caught your eye. If there’s something specific you want, shop early. Talk to the farmers; like any of us, they love being appreciated for what they do. Talk to other
customers, they may have some tips for you; that’s how I learned about Tom’s killer brownies in the M
ilan market (Fridays 3-7). If you want to shop in a hurry, race though a convenience store (that’s why they’re called convenience stores).
Be prepared. Bring bags, both large and small. A plastic box is handy for berries, that way you don’t end up with jam by the time you get home. Bring cash – preferably small bills and change. Leave loose impediments like children and dogs at home. Park your bike.
Be respectful. This is a big opportunity for the farmers to make money and they’ve worked hard for it! Don’t bargain – their margins are small enough as they are. Work for a couple of hours on a farm in the hot summer sun and you’ll never complain about what good food costs again. It’s amazing how much time and work it takes just to get one onion to market!
Tasting: Ask first and if they let you taste from a box, buy that box and don’t add more to it.
Be Clean. Don’t leave trash or coffee cups on the tables.
Be Patient. Wait your turn and don’t wave bags or money in their faces.
Buy what you think you can use. Food waste is a huge problem worldwide. It’s easy to be carried away by a pile of pretty produce but try to restrain yourself unless you know you can eat (or can) it all.
The perks: I’ve gotten to know farmers in countless countries, in languages I speak and a few that I have no clue about. In return, they’ve taught me a lot! If it’s hectic and something looks interesting, I’ll cruise around until there’s a lull in the action. As long as it’s not crazy busy, they’re generally happy to answer questions and will give you recipe idea
s for unusual items.
What to look for: If you can’t figure out which box of berries looks the best, have them pick one. They know what’s best. If you’re looking for peaches for a pie in a couple of days, ask and they’ll give you the peaches that will be perfect on Saturday night. The farmers will give you advice on what to look for when you’re choosing other vegetables. After you’ve built up a rapport with them, they’ll give you a heads-up if it’s the last blueberries of the season, or that the really good corn will be in next week. One of the women who grew garlic at the Milan farmers’ market gave me her card in case I ever had a garlic emergency!
When you’re shopping at a farmers’ market, you’re buying what’s in season. Not only are you supporting the local economy but what you’re getting is fresher, tastier and, because it hasn’t traveled from a country you need a passport for, it will keep longer.
What do I do with it when I get it home? This is what works for me. I set aside a block of time and prep everything I can because if it’s not washed and ready to go, I’ll end up not using it. My salad spinner goes into overdrive. I store everything in clear bags and containers so I can see what’s there. Place more perishable stuff in the front of the fridge so it doesn’t go bad in the black hole behind the condiments.
They say you’re not supposed to store fruits and vegetables together. Most of my fruit, except berries which should get refrigerated stays in a bowl on the counter, so it’s not generally an issue.
It’s the same for onions and potatoes. Except they really don’t want to be close. You’re actually supposed to keep them 10 feet apart, or the potatoes will get soft and grow eyes.
Tomatoes should never, ever be refrigerated! Why? It totally kills the taste. Store them stem side down on t
he counter. If you slice one up for a burger and have a leftover hunk, just put it cut side down on a plate and try to use it ASAP.
A couple of bonus tips: Please don’t squeeze tomatoes. It’s really tempting and I catch myself doing it, but by the end of the day, a well fondled tomato turns into a water balloon – not good!
And never shuck corn at any market!!! It immediately loses flavor and freshness. It limits your cooking options. Grilling or microwaving doesn’t work without the husk to keep it moist and add flavor (added bonus, it’s much easier to remove the silk after it’s cooked!). Shucking it at the market makes a mess and is a farmer’s biggest pet peeve.
Now, your next farmers’ market trip will be the best! By supporting local markets, you know where your food comes from and who is bringing it to your table.
The post How to Make Your Next Farmers’ Market Trip Your Best appeared first on Hudson Valley News Network.