Cooler temperatures, colorful trees and the first pumpkin patch sighting. October has arrived! It’s the best time of year, for so many reasons, but one of those is all of the amazing produce that’s currently in season.
One of my favorite things to do (year-round, but especially in the fall) is visit the local Farmers Markets and specialty food shops. We get to pick from the freshest of fresh, there’s a better variety of organic options and our money goes directly to the families and farms that produced what we’re buying.
Sourcing local ingredients is such a way of life where we live, officials have declared October Placer Grown Month. There’s events all month long throughout the county that celebrate buying fresh and local.
In honor of Placer Grown Month, I thought I’d post a few suggestions for shopping at your local Farms Market.
- Take A Lap
Each Farmers Market will most likely have multiple vendors selling similar items. I’ve found it to be beneficial to make a loop, checking out each booth and what’s available. You can price check, look for farmers located closer to home and also compare quality.
2. Not Everything is Organic
Sometimes people assume produce and other items available at a Farmers Market is always organic, but that’s not the case. Vendors who have gone through the thorough organic certification process will proudly state such on their signage or flyers. Be on the look out for this logo:
3. Go Early – Or Late
Arriving early is an obvious perk to hand-picking the cream of the crop. You get to choose from the best of the best and top picks go fast…but on the flip side, if you show up towards the end of the event, you may notice some farmers discounting items to help push last minute sales.
4. Know a Farmer’s Calendar
Part of wanting to eat what’s in season, is knowing what’s in season. It helps to go to the market with some knowledge of which items are in season or what things you’d be wasting your money on. It’s important to understand how the garden’s climate, time of year and weather pattern is effecting produce, herbs, etc. This will help you have more of an appreciation of fresh, local foods during each season.
5. Ask Questions
Maybe you’re interested in trying a new type of pepper, but aren’t sure how it would be best prepared. Or maybe you want to make sure the eggs you’re purchasing come from cage-free, organically fed chickens. It’s always acceptable to ask questions. Generally speaking, the vendors on-site are knowledgeable and can offer the best information to help make you feel as comfortable as possible with each purchase.
Here’s some of the bounty from my last trip…delish!
Just a Taste Moore 