I wiped away the weeds & foam. / I fetched my sea-born treasures home... Ralph Waldo Emerson







Friday, May 9, 2014

First Farmers Market---Asparagus Season


decorative rosemary and French lavender

 Hi everyone! This week our farmers market opened in town! I was excited, because as you know I love fresh foods and outdoor markets.

It was a cold brisk day. Not warm enough for the town's square's fountain to be filled, and you can see there's not a hint of buds on the big old sycamore trees.



But the market was busy and everyone seemed cheerful and happy to welcome this hint of spring.



Of course the market sells only locally grown (NY, NJ, PA) produce and products.


so sweet for Mothers Day! Love the orange!


Pickles:



Cheeses---must try!



A new guy with spices [maybe a local importer of?]....




This time of year our farmers offer mostly herbs and bedding flowers.

 




 
 
 


A few have greenhouses and they have fresh ripe tomatoes. A true luxury in May.



More herbs---beautiful large rosemary and lavender plants. They also had nice perennials, like Russian sage which blooms such a heavenly blue all summer.



more flowers...

 
 



The main food crops in season are---besides herbs---baby lettuces and spinach, plus my favorite asparagus.




Cut fresh that morning! I hope it lives up to its 5.oo a bunch exorbitant price.



I plan to make this recipe tonight.



I enjoy the market, love seeing the vendors, shopping outdoors in the fresh air. The prices though are often beyond my budget, which is too bad. I understand the growers [organic no less] have their overhead and travel expenses, they sit there all day...but at these prices I have to look at shopping there as a fun outing, like a movie or a margarita with friends. A treat not a lifestyle.

I got a kick out of this handwritten sign! Such a bargain: pots of annual flowers 5.oo each OR  5 for 25.oo. LOL.

Cute.



Do you have a farmers market you enjoy? Is it expensive? I hope you go and treat yourself, at least now and then, to  a sweet bunch of asparagus or a head of baby lettuce.

PS Wonderful recycled plastic bottle market bags here on Barbara Brackman's quilting blog.





love
 
lizzy


gone to the beach




Town beach, public this time of year, then a fee during the summer.
Note: no crowds!
 
 
 
 
public town beach, also below
 
 

7 comments:

  1. We have a monthly Farmer's Market in the school grounds which are behind our house. We get potatoes dug up the day before and last at least 6weeks before any sign of softness, eggs that are double-yolkers and honey every month. The potatoes are a $1 a Kilo [2.2lbs] and the Eggs $10 for 2 dozen. There are Spices. Olive oil. Fruit and Veg, plants. Italian pasta and cheeses ,meat, handmade soaps - even a bread stall. It is all local produce and the owner/grower has to be the seller. It's a great way to shop.

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    1. It sounds lovely! I ve read that AU has wonderful markets.

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  2. Our town is small but we do have a little farmer's market in the summer. Not very big, usually only a few people selling tomatoes, fresh sweet corn, maybe a few other things. Not a lot of variety, though. Have to go to one of the larger cities, I guess. I've never gone to a big one but as they're in more expensive areas, I'm sure the prices reflect that.

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    1. I ll just have to budget it as a "fun" outing. Next week I am going to try the cheese, maybe buy a couple pots of herbs....

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  3. Great photos. Our farmers market opened today. Didn't go, too chilly for me. We have a very popular market. It is the place to be in the summer. :) Kit

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  4. What fun pics of the herbs and veggies and flowers. The asparagus looks especially good and you need to let us know how the recipe turned out. It looked enticing. We have farmer's markets here year around. There's one on Fridays downtown, and on Sundays at the marina, and I think there's one on Saturday somewhere too. I don't go as often as I used to for some reason. I'm lucky enough to have neighbors that share avocados fresh from their trees, a neighbor with chickens who sometimes shares fresh eggs with us, and neighbors with green thumbs that often leave some of their bounty on our front porch. You would LOVE it.

    Kel

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    1. Oh I bet I *would* love it! Sounds like your home is in such a great area. [except for your drought!]. Fresh eggs and avocados, yum!

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