Comments on: How to Shop a Farmers’ Market http://www.marksdailyapple.com/how-to-shop-farmers-market/ Serving up health and fitness insights (daily, of course) with a side of irreverence. Fri, 16 May 2008 02:24:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Dana http://www.marksdailyapple.com/how-to-shop-farmers-market/#comment-65762 Dana Tue, 06 May 2008 23:01:50 +0000 http://www.marksdailyapple.com/how-to-shop-farmers-market/#comment-65762 This is great information! The tips are great and I shared them with my readers so they can have a good understanding of how to navigate through the market. This is great information! The tips are great and I shared them with my readers so they can have a good understanding of how to navigate through the market.

]]> By: Sonagi http://www.marksdailyapple.com/how-to-shop-farmers-market/#comment-64224 Sonagi Tue, 06 May 2008 00:35:50 +0000 http://www.marksdailyapple.com/how-to-shop-farmers-market/#comment-64224 In my experience, local produce that's sustainably grown but not certified organic is usually priced somewhere between supermarket conventional and organic. I pay $2.85 for a dozen real free range eggs, about $1 more than conventional but almost $1 less than Eggland's Best. I am fortunate enough to have a farmer who sells year round although the winter selection of produce is limited to apples, squashes, potatoes, onions, and if the weather isn't too nasty, kale from outside and spinach from an unheated greenhouse. I supplement with frozen vegetables rather than buy "fresh" stuff that's been trucked in from elsewhere. It looks and tastes like spring now that the kale is finally gone for the season, replaced by asparagus, lettuce, and mesclun. Strawberries will debut later this month as the first fresh fruit of the season. I'll have to hurry and finish up that mushy stuff in the freezer this week. You at Mark's Daily Apple are blessed to enjoy California's bountiful year-round agriculture. In my experience, local produce that’s sustainably grown but not certified organic is usually priced somewhere between supermarket conventional and organic. I pay $2.85 for a dozen real free range eggs, about $1 more than conventional but almost $1 less than Eggland’s Best.

I am fortunate enough to have a farmer who sells year round although the winter selection of produce is limited to apples, squashes, potatoes, onions, and if the weather isn’t too nasty, kale from outside and spinach from an unheated greenhouse. I supplement with frozen vegetables rather than buy “fresh” stuff that’s been trucked in from elsewhere. It looks and tastes like spring now that the kale is finally gone for the season, replaced by asparagus, lettuce, and mesclun.

Strawberries will debut later this month as the first fresh fruit of the season. I’ll have to hurry and finish up that mushy stuff in the freezer this week.

You at Mark’s Daily Apple are blessed to enjoy California’s bountiful year-round agriculture.

]]> By: Ron http://www.marksdailyapple.com/how-to-shop-farmers-market/#comment-63543 Ron Mon, 05 May 2008 15:37:40 +0000 http://www.marksdailyapple.com/how-to-shop-farmers-market/#comment-63543 I always shop at my local farmer's market whenever I can, and am also fortunate to have a daily local produce stand I can walk to. You just can't compare the freshness and flavor to supermarket produce. Where else will you have an egg vendor who also sells Balut(steamed fertilized duck eggs w/embryo)! I always found the prices only slightly more but competitive with the supermarkets. I haven't seen any increases but expect to see them due to higher fuel prices and the fact most of the participating farms are about 2-4 hours from the SF Bay Area. I always shop at my local farmer’s market whenever I can, and am also fortunate to have a daily local produce stand I can walk to. You just can’t compare the freshness and flavor to supermarket produce. Where else will you have an egg vendor who also sells Balut(steamed fertilized duck eggs w/embryo)! I always found the prices only slightly more but competitive with the supermarkets. I haven’t seen any increases but expect to see them due to higher fuel prices and the fact most of the participating farms are about 2-4 hours from the SF Bay Area.

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