Farmers Market Way of Life

One of my all time favorite things to do is wake up on Saturday morning and go to the farmers market on county home road. The hustle and bustle of everyone buying the freshest vegetables and fruit gets my heart anxious and excited each time. I usually pull into the overcrowded parking lot around 10:30am and think "Oh no, I hope there is still something left!" To my delight, there is always PLENTY of produce waiting for me to purchase.

The farmers market offers the freshest produce around, seasonal products, and happy families that are willing to share their agriculture practices with you. Eating local is important to me because I know the supply is freshly picked and has not traveled thousands of miles. This not only ensures that the produce will hold up longer and most likley has no added chemicles to maintain freshness but its carbon footprint is low.

Another great reason to shop local is the cost. It is so much cheaper for me to go to the market and buy vegetables and fruit for the week verses the grocery store. I usually spend around $15 for: Blueberries, peaches, eggplant, squash, eggs, cuccumbers, peppers, and cantaloupe. If I were to buy equal amounts of all of these at the grocery store, I would spend at least 20 to 30 dollars.

The vegetables and fruits are readily available and cost efficent as well as meat and seafood. This is where you can get grass fed red meat and wild caught seafood.

Here is one dish Hunter and I love that is easy to make with my fresh produce from the market...Fajitas! Here are the peppers and onions that I make in addition to chicken for this recipe.



Have thought about where your food comes from? Have you tried a local farmers market? If not, give it a shot. Its a fun experience for all!

For more information on Greenville's Farmer's Market check out this link.
http://www.ncfarmfresh.com/FarmMarketDisplay.asp?FarmID=1515

For Raleigh's Farmer's Market: http://www.ncsfmr.com/

~Little Chef-titian