Springtime Farmers Markets

Arya and Thomas at the Sara Hardy Market - May 26, 2012

Sara Hardy Farmer's Market

Sara Hardy Farmer's Market

One of my very very favorite things to do is go to farmer's markets.  I do not say this lightly.  ONE of my VERY FAVORITE things.  

Here in my area, we have a TON.  We have the indoor Mercato market throughout the winter in Traverse City on Saturdays.  We have the spring/summer/fall Sara Hardy Market in Traverse City on Saturdays (the big one).  We have the Suttons Bay Market on Saturdays in SB.  We have the Northport Market on Fridays in Northport, we have the TC market on Wednesday.  And if you were so inclined, even more throughout the area, but I just don't even have the time to make it to them and put up the food I would buy (whimper whimper).

But I am not just obsessed locally, on vacation too.  If we are traveling somewhere, I always research where the farmers markets are there and when, so we can plan our days around them. Cause, there is nothing more fun than exploring new produce and foods that you didn't know existed and there is no faster way to learn about a place and its culture than going to a market and meeting all the people and seeing what they eat.  Plus you can bring home some real treasures of tastiness and memories hold tight better when you use more senses to remember them.  Mmmmmm.

Isadore Farms at the Sara Hardy Market (one of our many friends)

Thomas and Arya at Sara Hardy Farmer's Market - May 26, 2012

Now I am positive doing all this is not because I am weird....it is because markets are amazing.  Every week, you get the rush and excitement of not knowing what new and exciting things you will find.  Every week you anticipate the coming of each vegetables seasons: ramps, radishes, then asparagus, strawberries, peas, cherries, corn, tomatoes, peaches, pumpkins, on and on and on.  The anticipation never ends.  

Super asparagus season at the markets

In addition, you only need a little to get a lot.  Save $50 of your weekly grocery budget to take to market and you will be able to buy bags and bags of produce and goodies.  Save a $100 and you're going to end up with more than you can use in a week, so you can can, freeze or dry some!  It's just awesome.  It's a shopping spree buzz, that you can't feel guilty about, because its food for your goodness.  PLUS, PLUS you're getting to give money to your farmer directly, this is one, why it's cheaper, but two, even selling cheaper they're making way more money selling it directly to you, than if they sold it to a store and you bought it, so DOUBLE WIN!  AND EVEN MORE, many farmer's at the markets are completely organic, but no organic prices, super triple quadrupedal awesomeness!  Oh, and the final bit of awesomeness, okay, maybe not the final bit, but yet another, you get to make new friends and meet the people passionate about the things you're buying from them.  Want to know how it was grown, they know; want to know how to cook it, they know; want to know when it was picked, they know; want to know long it will be in season, they know; want to know what else you could try like it, they know.  I think you get the idea and because they are so passionate and so knowledgeable, they are pretty much  the coolest people you've ever talked to and you just can't wait till next week to talk to them again.

Second Spring Farm - super awesome organics, great lettuce - interesting sidenote, Reid & Allie run this here place and Allie also was one of the midwife assistants who helped bring Arya into the world!

Pretty fogging view driving in to TC to markets this morning

Grand Traverse Bay on the way to markets this morning

So now that I have sucked you into my delicious excitement over markets, I figured I'd share my awesome scores from this morning.  I always wake up super early to get to the markets right when they open, so no one's sold out yet.  You may think this is funny and unlikely, but its not.  This is not a store, if they run out, there is no back room, they're out.  And you would probably be surprised how busy it is, even if you get there right when it starts.  Hopefully, my awesome market bragging will get you out of bed next market and share in some excitement of your own, maybe not at the crack of dawn like me, but at least checking it out! 

This week I spent $80 bucks at the markets: Sara Hardy in TC and Suttons Bay Market.  As you may see from the large amount of fresh local organic food I picked up, I think this is a steal of a deal.  Plus, as far as I'm concerned, this money goes towards my entertainment as well.  This is no grocery store errand, this is fun!

Arya admiring her momma's amazing market selections this week

I bought 15 pounds of asparagus total from two different farms that we like.  You may think this is absurb, but its not.  We love asparagus.  We are now at a point in our organic lifestyles that we really only buy food if it is in season, for multiple reasons, which I can go into some other time, but money is a definite factor.  This means we have an extremely short window to buy asparagus in.  During this time, I flash boil and freeze massive quantities so that we can have it the rest of the year.  Last year, I bought probably at least 70 pounds over the asparagus season, we ran out 2 months before asparagus was back in season.  To me, that's just totally unacceptable : )  So this year I need to buy more and store more, plus, this year, we have Arya who LOVES pureed asparagus, so a whole lot of it is already been used, by making her food and freezing that!

Goodies from the Market

Bought three tomatoes, in season already, because the farm it was from has a hoop house and was a farm that was further south that came UP to our market.  

Bought a large bunch of catnip, it was only a dollar and I figured the cats would love me.  I was right, hadn't even finished unloading all the bags and Simone (my smallest older cat) was already mauling the bag it was sticking out of.

Bought a bunch of awesome looking red beets with greens.  Double punch of goodness, greens and beets.

Bought a bunch of fennel bulbs.  Excited to make some macaroni salad or something this week to utilize that tasty treat.

Two bunches of regular radishes with greens & one bunch of french breakfast, which basically means they are mild and look like fingers.  Double punch again, greens and radish.

My take this week

Thomas was very pleased when he arrived to market and saw that finally his favorite Omish bakers have started coming again.  (the last two weeks they have not been at the market yet)  So he purchased his ritual brownies.  You ask why does he buy brownies, when I make him brownies all the time?  Apparently you have not had these brownies.

Two celariac roots.  These are basically the root of a celery plant, for those left wondering.

Arya enjoying a fresh sprig of asparagus

A loaf of what I call, popcorn elephant ear bread from Pattiserie Amie.  I don't know what it is really called, but my name is descriptive.  It tastes like, an elephant ear, but at the same time fresh buttered popcorn, so in other words, delicious.

A fresh salad mix, of various baby greens and nastursiums.

And finally, numerous seedlings.  This week I got more thyme for the rock garden, parsley, cilantro, dill, an eggplant to go with my others, okra and some weird fancy sumerian pepper plant or some such thing.  It's leaves were purple and it has a fun name, I was intrigued, we will see where it leads us this summer.

So there we have it, I think.  What will I do with it?  Whatever I want, bwhwhahaha.  No really, some I will store, namely the asparagus, much else we will eat this week.  Radishes may get roasted, greens braised, celeriac root will likely become soup, catnip is for the cats, but perhaps I will also explore a catnip tea for the first time as the farmer recommended we try it that way, fennel is probably going to be a macaroni or potato salad as I am craving it, tomatoes, unsure, in a salad or fried with eggs for breakfast probably.  As I progress through using all these goodies, I will try to keep you updated!

I hope I have inspired you a little bit, to head to your nearest market this coming week!  YUM.