Question of the Day, Friday, June 25

[Winchester]

Good morning!

Do you have a local farmers' market? Do you visit? What do you like to buy?

We have a farmers' market that's open on Wednesdays. Pre-Covid, we went often. When I was working, I'd walk over during lunch with my bag, buy what I needed for the week, and then walk back to work. Mainly fresh produce, but there's a stand that sells hard-cover books for $5 and a couple books would find their way into my bag. Always a hot sausage sandwich, sometimes a soft pretzel, usually filled cookies for the guys at work. Unfortunately, it is under new ownership and the new owners want to be open on Saturdays, too. Many of the vendors can't be there on Saturdays because they have prior commitments at Saturday markets elsewhere and it's caused a huge stink with the new owners. We rarely go anymore, simply because of the way the new owners are doing things. It's rapidly turning into a flea market with lots of junk-type stuff. It's a shame because the market was THE place to go on Wednesdays. Best hot sausage anywhere. Really nice produce, nice meats, etc.

What about you? Do you have a farmers' market and do you go?

 

[maggiedemi]

No, this is the middle of nowhere. you would have to drive at least 2 hours to find something like that. There are individual farm stands around though, selling veggies, honey, stuff like that. The Amish have roadside stands too.

 

[betsygee]

We have one downtown every Tuesday evening but I haven't been in ages. It turned into more of a craft and food fair and got really crowded. There's another one now on Friday mornings. They set up in a parking lot at the shopping mall. I love that one--lots of local farms bring produce, cheeses, flowers, good bread.

This my haul from the last one. Fava beans, kale, beets, sweet pea flowers, and bread.

 

[klunick]

No, this is the middle of nowhere. you would have to drive at least 2 hours to find something like that. There are individual farm stands around though, selling veggies, honey, stuff like that. The Amish have roadside stands too.

Same with us. People set up stands along the road plus the Amish have their own stands selling food and sheds/playsets they will build for you.

 

[TMcats]

We have a lot of farmers markets I actually sell stuff they're every week! we don't buy a lot of stuff they're but if we do it's normally vegetables.

 

[denice]

We have several in the area and a few of them are really good as far as having a lot of produce. I got out of the habit when I didn't go last year and haven't been this year yet. Maybe I will go to one tomorrow morning. One of the things I love to get is strawberries and it might be too late for those. Later on I love the tomatoes, they put what the Supermarket sells to shame. I also like to get watermelon and cantaloupe especially if I can find a smaller watermelon.

 

[strider rose]

we have one here in my town but i have never been to it yet

 

[susanm9006]

I don’t go to Farmers Markets. There aren’t any that are particularly close and I don’t buy enough vegetables to make it worth the drive. For misc vendors and street fair food I just need to walk a mile to our downtown area (one stoplight Main Street) which has a vintage car show, music and tons of food vendors every Friday night all summer long.

 

[Lari]

I used to go to the one in my old town. I believe we have one here, too, but I haven't been yet. I should try and check it out.

 

[game misconduct]

i live kinda in the middle of the concrete jungle and would have to drive an hour or so to other cities to probably have a slim chance of finding one

 

[Willowy]

There's one in my parents' town on Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings, my mom goes often but I've never made the trip in time to go on Thursdays and I have to work Saturday mornings. She mostly buys things like cookies and banana bread, not veggies, so I don't know if it's any healthier than shopping at the store. . .but those are GOOD cookies! They have quite a few vendors most of the time. There's a natural meat guy, lots of produce, bakers and crafters and so on.

The closest town has a small farmer's market in a strip mall parking lot. I think they usually only have 3 vendors and one only has honey, not a lot of produce as far as I know. It's also on Saturday mornings. Sigh, the world is just not set up for people who have to work on Saturdays!

 

[NY cat man]

We don't have the kind where several farmers sell produce or baked goods at one location, but since this is an agricultural area with many fruit and vegetable farms, there are a number of stands operated by the individual growers- everything from asparagus and rhubarb in the spring to cabbage and apples in the fall. We have bought at a goodly percentage of them, but there are too many to hit all of them. Just off the top of my head, I can think of a dozen within 10 miles of home.

 

[MoochNNoodles]

We have a couple around here. The biggest is in town and has a lot of stuff but the parking can be atrocious. The kids pediatrician is within sight one street over and you’ll find cars lining the road in front on their office too. Its a farmer’s market/flea market though. It used to be 1 day a week but now they do another day and that’s helped with the crowds some.

We have a Amish community in the area so they work many of the indoor booths. You can get anything from pastries to pickled everything at their booths. But my favorite is the kielbasa with sauerkraut on a roll with their honey mustard. The hot ham with honey mustard is really good too.

When I worked nearby we’d get those and fruit trays with strawberry whipped dip. They’d be full of berries! Or watermelon depending on the season. The elephant ears were my favorite baked good. Sometimes we’d get cheeses too. Or try something unique pickled.

Theres also a good pizza place inside. Outside they have the fruit and veggie stands. And then the flea market stuff is indoor/outdoor. There’s more independent farm stands closer to my house so I haven’t gone specifically for those.

 

[susanm9006]

We have a couple around here. The biggest is in town and has a lot of stuff but the parking can be atrocious. The kids pediatrician is within sight one street over and you’ll find cars lining the road in front on their office too. Its a farmer’s market/flea market though. It used to be 1 day a week but now they do another day and that’s helped with the crowds some.

We have a Amish community in the area so they work many of the indoor booths. You can get anything from pastries to pickled everything at their booths. But my favorite is the kielbasa with sauerkraut on a roll with their honey mustard. The hot ham with honey mustard is really good too.

When I worked nearby we’d get those and fruit trays with strawberry whipped dip. They’d be full of berries! Or watermelon depending on the season. The elephant ears were my favorite baked good. Sometimes we’d get cheeses too. Or try something unique pickled.

Theres also a good pizza place inside. Outside they have the fruit and veggie stands. And then the flea market stuff is indoor/outdoor. There’s more independent farm stands closer to my house so I haven’t gone specifically for those.

You know what that fruit dip is? A package of cream cheese, a tub of marshmallow cream, a dash of vanilla and a little milk to thin it. I used to buy tubs the pricey fruit dip at our local grocer for pot lucks and work gatherings and then discovered I could make twice the amount at home for a couple dollars or less.

 

[aliceneko]

I have one in the town next door to me, but there is a fruit and veg stall in my town, however authentic farmer's market food is quite hard to find here as we live in an urban area!

 

[MoochNNoodles]

You know what that fruit dip is? A package of cream cheese, a tub of marshmallow cream, a dash of vanilla and a little milk to thin it. I used to buy tubs the pricey fruit dip at our local grocer for pot lucks and work gatherings and then discovered I could make twice the amount at home for a couple dollars or less.

I was wondering what they used to give it the strawberry flavor/pink coloring. Probably jello or something simple like that. The prices were very good there; but your still paying for convenience.

 

[susanm9006]

I was wondering what they used to give it the strawberry flavor/pink coloring. Probably jello or something simple like that. The prices were very good there; but your still paying for convenience.

My family also makes strawberry fluff that has cool whip, strawberries and strawberry jello in it.

 

[Lari]

Okay, now I really want this fruit dip. I somehow doubt it would be the same using dairy alternatives. But the craving is strong.

 

[MoochNNoodles]

My family also makes strawberry fluff that has cool whip, strawberries and strawberry jello in it.

Maybe it's a combo then. It definitely had some kind of cream cheese from what I remember. I didn't usually go for the dip because I don't like sweet and savory mixed in some stuff. I loved the trays stuffed with fruit though. You'd watch one of the Amish girls cutting fruit and filling more trays as they were sold. I think I need to get by there one week before school starts again!

Okay, now I really want this fruit dip. I somehow doubt it would be the same using dairy alternatives. But the craving is strong.

Put it on your list for things to enjoy once Baby J weans. Ease the bittersweet time.

 

[susanm9006]

So sorry Lari . So hard to crave things you can’t have.