This post was written by contributor Emily McClements of Live Renewed and was originally posted at Keeper of the Home on May 19, 2010.
I grew up in West Michigan where the local farmer’s market was always a highlight of the summer. Early on Saturday mornings my sisters and I would head to the market with our mom to buy fresh, local, and delicious produce.
My mom was raised on a farm in Ohio, so she always taught us the value of fresh produce, whether we grew it ourselves in our garden, or we bought it at the farmer’s market. I grew up eating, and actually enjoying, fresh veggies like lima beans and beets, as well as the typical strawberries, peaches and sweet corn.
When I moved away from home I struggled to find places to buy fresh produce. And if I did find a market or local produce stand, I wasn’t sure the best way to go about finding the kind of food I was looking for.
A few years ago, we moved within walking distance to the farmer’s market in our city. I was so excited to be able to frequent the market and buy fresh and local produce, just like my mom did when I was growing up.
But, the farmer’s market here is much different than the one that I grew up going to. Ours is indoor, and open year round, and has everything from a restaurant, antiques, hand made items, fresh coffee, to meat counters, and more, as well as local produce and plants.
I was a little overwhelmed when I first started visiting the market. Which vendors are the best to buy from? Why is there a booth with cheap sunglasses? Why does that produce stand have bananas? How do I know where and how these tomatoes, or corn, or apples, are grown? Read the rest →
