Farmers Markets. Oh how I love you all.
Good ones that is. The ones where it really is locally produced food. Food that has been made with love and care. Food that isn’t mass-produced and tastes divine.
Be it a crispy celery picked the day before, a hand crafted cheese, some aromatic fair trade coffee, an organic free range piece of meat, a back yard grown punnet of strawberries or some lovingly tempered chocolate.
I love it all.
There is nothing that gets me happier than a morning spent in a great Farmers Market. I feel like a kid in candy store. The promise of all things delicious. I try not to clap my hands with glee, but I tell you, when its a specially good one. A little clapping with glee may happen.
Good food miles- check.
No unneccessary additives- check.
Different ideas- check
Supporting small businesses- check
Super fresh- check
All looks delicious- check
Having recently travelled north for 10 days, I was lucky enough to go to 3 lots of farmers markets that were just beautifully timed for our holiday. (and yes, I may have planned our holidays around one of them..)
Getting to see what the locals are producing is wonderful, and it’s certainly not long before my purse is hemorrhaging money, my fridge is looking bountiful, and my tummy is looking rotund.
One of the markets was in Port Macquarie for the Hastings Valley Markets, when a stall caught my eye…
Goat Meat. Now this red meat I had been wondering about for some time. The taste, the cost and where to buy it, as it sure as eggs isn’t bought any where near where I live. So whacked it in the freezer and to be cooked at a later date.
I was also was very happy to see some locally produced garlic. Why is it the beginning of April already and I’m yet to see any Australian garlic in the local shops? It’s the garlic season people! Come on. I don’t want my garlic to be chemically treated and come from Argentina, China, and Mexico if it doesn’t have to.
Some gorgeous tomatoes were bought. Tomatoes that actually taste like a tomato, and has not had the taste bred out of them in order to look good. These were knocked back as quick as I good get them out of the bag by the monkeys.
I love buying things that I’m not sure what they are, or have heard off but not eaten or cooked before.
Its the taste sensation possibility factor that I love the most.
I didn’t get any great sour doughs. They didn’t seem to be happening which was a bit disappointing as they are a firm favourite with us. However, I did get some knock out individual sticky date puddings the size of tennis balls. Even I, had to pause mid way through eating one of these little beauties that had a grand total of 57grams of fat in each serve. Oh sweet mama!….best not to think of it really. I didn’t, and bravely soldiered on.
I can see all our holidays planned in times to come, planned around when the local foody markets are on.
Farmers markets and possibly where to get a great massage… two very important things when thinking of ones next holiday.
cityhippyfarmgirl 
Sounds like you had an absolute ball and I love Farmers Markets for the exact reasons that you listed! 😀
LikeLike
Those pictures are sooo enticing! Are your markets open year round? We get two months per year here, so I am really grateful for the year round CSA. But, I did just get some organic strawberries at the store yesterday that are actually sweet already! Ah, signs of spring!
LikeLike
Lorraine- Hooray for farmers markets!
Alisa- Our farmers markets are open all year round. We are lucky where we live and the areas where I tend to travel are fairly mild climate wise. So there is a seasonal difference with what is available with the vegetables, but they are still open all year round.
Where abouts do you live?
LikeLike
It’s one of the many things I am eagerly anticipating upon return to Sydney. To be fair London has its share of well stocked, well run farmer’s market and I really can’t fault our amazing weekly organic fruit and vegie delivery…though I’m about done with parsnips and gourds! Loving your blog, not least the obvious passion and care with which you write and photograph.
Wendy x
LikeLike
Aren’t they fabulous? We often make it to the Orange Grove markets on a Saturday, and they’re great fun, although we now do most of our fruit and veg shopping at the growers’ markets in Flemington. There’s also a truly wonderful, massively expensive market every Saturday at the old Darlington rail sheds – Eveleigh Markets – have you been there?
Celia
LikeLike
I used to go to Orange Grove- lots of great things there. Fox Studios is the one we go to the most, my purse can come back quite empty if I’m not careful!
Eveleigh Markets I still haven’t made it there. I’ve been to the local Artisans Market there though, they are on once a month and they are lovely.
LikeLike
My winter markets have just ended and summer ones haven’t yet started. I’m at a loss! But can live vicariously through you!
LikeLike
Hi, I do love a good farmers market too, although sometimes they can be a bit hit and miss (around our parts, anyway). I have the same frustration with you re. the imported garlic. I have found my local (very small), IGA usually stocks Aussie garlic, which is handy for when our homegrown runs out and it’s still another 3 weeks until the next farmers market! Love your blog! Christine
LikeLike
Aw shucks, thanks. IGA’s can be great for some things, lots of local goodies, just no local IGA’s 😦
LikeLike
i love farmers markets too…sadly they seem to start off well and then go “bad” quickly – no more real farmers, slip one rotten peach in the bag of peaches (why not just give me one less so I dont have to feed the whole bag to the chooks when I get home?!), too expensive, etc. Sigh. Bring back the real farmers markets I say!!
LikeLike