Food and Faith Challenge: Challenge to Action

For the Challenge to Action question this week on the Food and Faith Challenge over at the Local Cook, the question is asked:

•Visit your local farmer’s market and let us know what’s in season right now. If your farmer’s market isn’t open yet, when does it open and what kinds of things are available from it?

I am an avid Farmer's Market visitor. I go every week (and even write the occasional article for the Examiner about them.) I'm very fortunate to have a year around farmer's market with an indoor market place that imports and uses local greenhouses and farms to supply superior produce at all times.

I prefer to shop the outdoor stalls of local farmers, but when the pickings are slim during the winter I will definately peruse the indoor vendors for better 'pickins' then I can find at the grocery store. Be careful though, many vendors don't always label everything giving you the impression its not imported from other countries. Even "farmers" can be deceitful to make a buck.

Many that I have come to know are pretty honest and straightforward though and I always enjoy an early morning with coffee and a stroll, conversation over the smell of fresh baked bread on a saturday at the market.

Currently in season is a wonderful display of cabbages, collards, sweet potatoes and cold tolerant root veggies. The occasional greenhouse tomatoe makes a bright splash of red and there is an array of colorful flowers and plants available for gardeners and flowerbeds. The meat providers are there in droves offering beef and pork. Fresh cheeses and breads are also appearing on the weekends when customers are plentiful.

A few weeks ago, there were one or two vendors braving the late winds of winter and now as the sun shines down the stalls are 3/4's full in both sheds. We have a large market and I'm so fortunate to be able to supplement my own growing with better options.