Concession Obsession: Farmer’s Markets
This year I am trying to grow my very own vegetables in our backyard for the first time. I’m growing a little bit of everything this year – sort of an experiment. If things go well, I will expand the space next year and grow some serious amounts. Right now I have three tomato plants and three foot rows of cucumbers, zucchinis, carrots, lettuce, beans, spinach, and celery. I also have a couple of pumpkin plants, one strawberry plant, and a row of corn growing along my fence. So far so good!
Of course, my one strawberry plant has given me a total of 5 strawberries so far, so it’s not like I’m expecting high yields of anything this time around. I still rely on the weekend Farmer’s Market in my neighborhood to get my locally grown food. It’s great to support local farmers and local business, and it’s eco-friendly in other ways because we walk to the market from our house.
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All good things, but I have to admit my very favorite part is when we buy a treat from the concession stands that are there! Coffee has never tasted so good as the one I get from the truck that is there every week. My daughter and I pick out some tasty home-baked treats from the vendors or a hot dog from the hot dog cart and then we spread out a blanket and have a little picnic. Grocery shopping has never felt so good.
Boulder County Farmer’s Market
You can enjoy a meal prepared by a local chef at Boulder County Farmer’s Market. You can also buy ice cream, smoothies, falafels, and hotdogs at this market. Hungry yet?
Salt Lake City’s Downtown Farmer’s Market
The market is in Historic Pioneer Park and has over 250 vendors, including prepared foods and beverages along the food fairway in the market’s center.
Make the Most of It
Check out the blog radientlife for Cathleen Vaune Carr’s article “How to Make the Most of a Visit to the Local Farmer’s Market“. There is a list of 12 tips that are very helpful if you are new to the experience.
Market It On Your Calendar
Check out localharvest.org for information about farmer’s markets near you. Many markets begin in June so they are already going! There are also winter markets so you can buy fresh, local food all year round. Vendors will change and many markets have special events or themes from one week to the next, so it never gets boring.
Last year the Huffington Post published an article about the Top 10 Farmer’s Markets in the US. Portland, New York, San Francisco, Austin, Boulder, and Sante Fe are a few cities that made the list. There is also a list of the top 25 markets at diddit.com.
