My family is so lucky to live in a heavily agricultural state, and this year I have seen more farmer's markets than ever in the Atlanta metro area. I am excited to visit as many as possible and enjoy fresh vegetables all summer long. Here are a few tips that I have learned over the years (the hard way). Maybe you all are much smarter than me, but it has taken me some time to be a savvy shopper at farmer's markets and produce stands. Trial and error seems to be my modus operandi.
1. Be careful of roadside stands, especially this time of year. Often the produce they are selling is not grown locally and is not organic. I have seen lots of "hydroponic" tomatoes from Florida and California at roadside stands in Georgia, and lots of peaches from California, Alabama, or South Carolina sold at stands in the Peach State.
2. Look around the sales table and note whether there are produce boxes with name brand labels, it may be a clue that the produce you are buying is not local.
3. Ask whether the person selling the produce actually grew it. They're usually honest about it.
4. Locally grown produce is usually smaller in size than mass-produced food. That's okay with me, it means its real.
5. Smell it, squeeze it, and check the bottom of the basket for rotten items.
6. Locally grown produce is usually dirtier and dingier than produce in the grocery store, so it will need to be washed. That's also okay, because it was grown this year and it hasn't been gassed or submerged in chemical baths to keep it fresh.
7. If you want organic, be sure to confirm with the seller.
8. Ask questions and talk to the seller or the farmer - you'll usually learn something and have a better buying experience.
9. This one is hard for us: go early. The best produce at a farmer's market goes first, and the early birds do get the best items. Even if I have arrived late, I don't usually get discounts for buying the last items available.
10. Don't be a sucker. Last year I wanted fresh sweet potatoes badly, and ended up paying $1.00 for a tiny little potato! Darcy enjoyed it, but looking back, it wasn't worth my $1.00.
Lastly, my goal for this year is to try to cook with new vegetables, so I plan to look for items that our family doesn't normally eat and making menus starting with those ingredients. If that doesn't work out, I'll be happy with tomatoes every day.
I couldn't resist:
