farmer’s market tips

1. ask questions- i always find the sellers some of the most friendly people and they always have great advice for taking care of and serving the produce! these sellers are usually passionate about their shops and have a lot to offer.

2. bring your own bags – i love to keep some in my car to be environmentally friendly and sometimes vendors don’t have bags so i like to go prepared. marshall’s and old navy usually have my favorite re-usable bags. they tend to be really cute and cheap!

3. carry cash- although some vendors now allow credit/debit cards, i try to bring cash {esp. smaller bills} just in case!

4. a shorter shelf life – remember that homegrown produce goes bad quicker than store bought veggies/fruit so make sure you buy enough for about one week and then you can freeze the rest. it’s sad when it goes bad before you can eat it all … which means weekly trips ideal if you are able to swing it! as i mentioned earlier, it’s become a ritual that i genuinely enjoy now. it’s often a highlight of my week!

5. have a recipe in mind- this always help me when choosing which items to buy each week. sometimes the displays are so beautiful that i tend to overbuy and then am not able to eat it all. another piece of advice- from prior experience- don’t go hungry!

6. lots of bonuses! if your market is anything like the ones we have in the carolinas… venture to the outside of the market for delicious seafood, cage-free meats, cheeses, local honey, beautiful flowers, pastries, and jams.