Farmer's Markets

I like farmer's market gigs. They don't usually pay too well but they're fun and casual. Most farmer's markets down here are held in parks but I've been seeing more and more "brick and mortar" farmer's markets.

 

I have an awesome farmer's market right near me. Five-minute drive or 25-minute walk. We do most of our shopping there.
http://www.dekalbfarmersmarket.com/ydfmtour.htm
We also have a good open-air market nearby on weekends.

 

There are several around here, the produce tastes better from them.

lowsound

 

Big fan of farmers markets. I prefer to keep my dollars local, my food close to the earth and to cut out the middleman whenever possible. Farmers markets fit the bill on all counts.

 

I like farmers markets, second only to growing my own produce.

 

They are multiple ones in my town, they're pretty common. At least 3 I can think of off the top of my head, but I know there are more. They'll set up in a parking lot or vacant lot one day a week, do their selling and then break everything down again until the same day the next week. It's all awesome stuff too! Way better than you can get in the average chain grocery store. I don't go to those enough now that I think of it. I'm going to have to make a point of trying to frequent them more often. Although my main store is called Mother's Market and their wares rival pretty much anyone anywhere. The farmers markets are cool though, I should support them more.

 

We also have several in the area. Sometimes you can get some super deals, but if not , it's always better quality. My wife still "cans" so we are already looking for certain items. Yummy in the dead of winter.

 

We have a small farmers market down the street from my house .

Ran primarily by an attractive female in her mid twenties .

It's pretty hot here this time of year so tank tops and short shorts are a must for working the farmers market .

Its a fairly busy market.....

 

LOVE our local farmer's market! The kids love it too. We go almost every Saturday morning. Ours also does a really cool thing downtown on Wednesday evening. Beer, veggies, music, homemade deserts = fun. The weather didn't cooperate this week for that but we go as often as we can.

 

Photos please?

 

The "farmers markets" in Madison tend to be upscale and expensive, until pretty late in the season when the vendors start cutting prices to get rid of inventory. It's still nice to get some things really fresh, but hopefully our backyard garden will soon be doing that for us.

 

Yep, quite often. I prefer just going directly to the farmer (or rancher, or fisherman) in many cases though. The farmer's markets were a great way to make those connections happen though...

 

Every city of any size will have a farmer's market. It may not be individual shopper friendly but most vendors will sell to you just as quick as they do to the local grocery stores and restaurants.

As big cities go, Birmingham Alabama is a berg and it has a decent size farmers market where most of the city's produce comes in to be distributed out to stores and eatery's.

They also have an old Dr Pepper bottling plant that's been rehabbed and turned into upscale retail and office space and they have a more trendy and upscale organic farmers market there on summer weekends. There are also several downtown office towers opening their lobbies once a week to the same organic produce mongers, so we have both an ordinary commercial market as well as several organic markets every week.

To top it all off there is a local chain of three organic produce stores in the area. They are all located in fairly new, upscale neighborhoods and from what I've been told do a booming business.

 

I've been to a few farmer's markets in the North bay area: Novato, Petaluma, San Rafael, Mill Valley, Fairfield, Sausalito...too many to list all. I love squash so much I would get enough, all types too, to last me a month.

The trick to getting them a little cheaper is to buy the produce an hour before they pack it up for the day. You wont get the premium stuff but you'll be able to get some decent stuff that will be priced way less than the grocery stores.

 

My biggest complaint by far is that I have to wake up early on the weekend to get there...


But it's well worth it in comparison to supermarket fruit and veg, by a long shot.

 

There's a wonderful farmer's market just blocks from our house; my wife and I walk there every Sunday. Yeah, we have trouble getting there before 1PM closing sometimes, but it's worth it.

Consider freezing some of it in ice cube trays; perfect for single servings of pasta.

 

The Houston one (I'm sure there are quite a few here actually) is pretty freakin awesome. Much like what you described.