farmers market 2

In my tour of farmers markets, I’ve learned a bit. Several of my friends have had a range of bad experiences, as have I. Sour fruit. Spoils before I can use it. Don’t know how to cook it. Gets damaged before I can get it home. Can’t get what I want or need. So I’ve got a few lessons that I’ve learned and I hope there are others who can add a few more ideas .

Tools for the trip.
Cash. Take small bills and silver. I’ve written a couple checks before when I overspent my expectations, but I could tell that the proprietors didn’t really care for it. And don’t be embarrassed by scrounging the change out of the car cup holder—they’d prefer it to a check or a lost sale. I tuck my wallet in my basket or put cash in my pocket. Juggling a purse and hand carrying groceries is too much fuss.

Recycled grocery sacks or reusable fiber sacks. Sometimes it’s a benefit to have a grocery sack or two. Farmers run out, it’s easier to pick and choose the veggies you want and the bags are helpful at keeping loose fruits from falling on other things. And why not get another use out of them?

Basket. One of the benefits of famers markets is that the fruit hasn’t been bred for travel. So stuff gets damaged easily. And while farmers will display wares in lovely wooden or paper quarts, they often hand you your purchase in a plastic bag. The structure of the basket protects your purchases from sliding on top of each other and bruising. Plus, having a basket adds a touch of romance to the experience.

• Picnic baskets with flip down tops (think Red Riding Hood). These are not one-handed baskets. Either you put the basket down to load and unload or struggle with lifting the flap and swinging the food inside with the handle over the other arm.
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• Square baskets. These are okay. I find they are easily unbalanced when I have items that poke out of the ends, like greens, asparagus, cucumbers, etc.
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• Oblong baskets. In addition to being open and holding more stuff, I like the way these balance on my hip.
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Cooler. If you’re going to run errands after the market, a cooler and some cold paks will buy you time. Greens wilt easily.

“In season” doesn’t always jive with “on the menu”. I have had to change my dinner recipes more than a few times based on what I found at the market. And the In Season column in Traverse Magazine is helpful in gauging when to seek out specifics.

While I try to keep an open mind about what to expect, I have learned to have a plan. I know when I’m going to use my purchases. Not a specific menu, rather a specific meal and a serving count. Too often I’ve come home with a basket full and realized that I would be out of the house at meal time for the next several days. So when I buy I know this veggie is for dinner on Tuesday, these berries are for jam today, etc.

Another way to be sure you’ll find what you want is to go early. This isn’t my habit. And I’ve been disappointed as recently as last Saturday. I’d seen Bareknuckle Farm’s stock at the Traverse City farmers market on Wednesday. I was reserved in buying because I don’t really have a good place to store things at the office and skipped buying at Bareknuckle. (And even with that in mind, I forgot the asparagus in my office cupboard over night and then left it in the car two days—ewww.) By the time I got to Suttons Bay's market on Saturday, they only had a few bunches of yarrow left.

Collette said it best in Ratatouille, “The only way to get the best produce is to have first pick of the day, and there are only two way to get first pick. Grow it yourself, or bribe a grower.”

Chat up the farmers. I mentioned to one farmer that I was making jam with his peaches. He sold me some overripe, not-so-pretty fruit at a reduced price. And the jam was some of my best. I’ve also gotten some great recipes from farmers who are often great cooks too; they’ve inspired me to try new veggies.

I still have the odd market mishap, but I’m getting better at it. Of course to really get fresh food, you have to cook it right out of the garden … sigh I’m still working on that.

What are your ideas for making the most out of the farmers market?