Farmer's Markets - Eating Like a Locavore

Nature's Bounty

What if I told you that you could buy delicious, fresh, natural, sustainable, healthy food, right in your own neighborhood, at competitive prices, and help your local economy all at the same time?  Too good to be true?  It's not, and it's easier than you think.

Look people, if you're not shopping at your local farmer's markets, you are seriously missing the boat.  I know I've mentioned a few great things that I've picked up in my neighborhood, like this bread and these peaches, but I think it's time to dedicate a whole post to the fabulous foods lurking around the corner.  If you live in any city of any size in this great land, I guarantee that there is a farmer's market near you.  For a start, check out Local Harvest, which has a search-able database of markets and Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) resources for the entire US.

When you buy from your local farms, ranches, and dairies you're not only supporting your local economy, but you're getting (generally) higher quality products that are grown in more sustainable ways.  You also get a chance to speak with the producers themselves and learn more about how your food is grown.  Click the read link to find out what I picked up this weekend, and what I'll be cooking with this week.

Best Tomatoes Ever

See those little yellow globes of sunshine up there.  Those bad boys are the BEST tomatoes I've ever eaten...and I'm Italian which means I've eaten about eight million kilos of tomatoes in my life.  I'll be treating those to a splash of Texas olive oil (betcha didn't know we pressed our own olive oil in the Lone Star State) and balsamic.  Those tomatoes are grown by this gentleman, also responsible for the Texas olio d'oliva, from Texas Olive Ranch:

Friday is Hawaiian Shirt Day

Also from Four Seasons Market, I picked up that gorgeous bread in the picture atop the post (perfect for Roasted Eggplant on Garlic Toast) as well as the yellow/orange tomatoes and goat's milk feta I will use this week to make another summer salad.  The feta is produced in Waco by these folks, Eric and Karen from Caprino Royale:

The Accidental Goat Herders

They also make a killer fresh chevre and a goat's milk caramel called cajete, which I'm quite certain has heroine in it.  I will be making a trip to Waco to do a full report on Caprino Royale in a future post.  These two goat wranglers are what the local, slow-food movement is all about.  This husband/wife team left their careers in San Antonio to raise goats and make cheese.  And they're digging a cheese cave on their ranch.  Let me repeat that.  They are digging a CHEESE CAVE on their ranch.  In Waco.  That deserves further investigation. 

Rounding out this weekend's treasures, we have Vidalia onions (the last of the season, sorry folks), red tomatoes, cucumbers, new potatoes, red beets, and turnips all from Georgia's Farmers Market, in Plano.

You see?  I travelled a few miles from home, picked up wonderful things I can feel good about eating and feeding to my family, and met some great people.  Isn't that what food is all about, connecting with other humans?  I think so.

So get out there, find the best your local food scene has to offer...and share what you find with others.  Please comment below and let me know what you come up with!