Farmers Market Goodies

I love the Farmers Market I go to on Sundays. When it started up a few weeks ago after a winter break it was like seeing old friends, with to my pleasant surprise the addition of our Thursday/Sunday Farmers Market meat farmer who we also bought our freezer full of cow and chicken from for the winter.

This week I was on the phone while doing my lap to see what everyone had this week (Tip: always do a lap before starting to make your purchases- it allows to see what everyone has, prices, specials, quality, etc) I was chatting away looking over stalls, knowing my usual spots, but taking it all in when I hear "Kate, over here! Quick! Look what I've got for you!" and see a man in a beige apron dancing and flagging me down from halfway down the aisle. I usually get there right when the whistle blows, but was running 15 minutes late this morning. I told Gabora I had to go and there is Jeff holding up precious fresh chicken! Yay! Fresh chicken! I have paced our family on chicken all winter, we had 10 to get us from November to this day and we had one left, but frozen bird is no comparison to fresh chicken. I knew he had done a slaughter the day before as he had done an educational invite to come see how it was done, but usually, especially this early in the season leave them at the farm store for purchase. I was so excited! Jeff had just made my day and had me breaking my cardinal rule, always do a lap first. I bought two chickens and two cartons of eggs (one being in a carton I had given to him- I always recycle my containers and cartons to the farmers, hate thinking that they have that extra expense on top of everything else). Jeff and I shared our normal Sunday chat and then I moved on.

I waved to my cheese lady (yes she raises the animals herself that produce the milk for the cheeses) determined to finish my lap so I could start really buying and she yells out "Hey Kate, I have mozzarella today!" And I stop my lap and walk over. Talked a bit with her chatting about how I had been using her herbs de Provence goat cheese in asparagus omelets all week. She told me she would have cream cheese next week. I told her awesome! I had been telling Marko (the bread/bagel guy two stalls down) to team up with someone and sell butter and cream cheese. I was really excited. The Sunday Farmers Market is great for produce and meats, but still has some room for improvement on craft/specialty foods.

I continued on my way picking up the first tomatoes of season- yes they were hot box, asparagus, pecans, romaine, onions, strawberries- who the farmer knowing my son and knowing how we had chatted about how he takes a bite of berry then puts it back and made me a pint container of  "bite size" berries and set it aside for when I came by this morning. I love knowing my farmers and love knowing that they are looking out for me and my family.

We did enjoy the fresh chicken, grilled, and a tomato, mozzarella and basil (from the plant my son gave me for mother's day) salad for dinner. All local. All delicious. All provided by farmers who look out for my family.

Mozzarella on the side, due to my kid's dairy allergy