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Summer / Fall 2006
At The Market
A wine country agricultural expert explores the benefits of farmers
markets—beyond their fresh produce
By
Jeff Dawson
If you’ve ever tasted a freshly picked tomato, you’ve likely
noticed the difference between this sweet, delicious, farm-fresh
variety and its lackluster supermarket cousin. Thankfully, in
wine country, you can get tomatoes and all manner of other produce
directly from local growers at a number of farmers markets. Each
farmer has picked his or her crops the day before, or even that
morning (supermarket produce takes three to seven days to reach
the shelf), and is generally more than happy to impart tips ranging
from how to discern optimal ripeness to cooking techniques to
recipes.
A farmers market is much like a town square, where friends and
acquaintances can gather and chat. If you visit the markets regularly,
you’ll get in tune with the seasonality of produce, which is
completely obscured in modern supermarkets (melons are in season
from July through September, for example, not year-round). Shopping
at the farmers market is also a great experience for kids, who
can see that food is grown by farmers and doesn’t always come
packed in plastic.
The idea behind farmers markets was developed by the Department
of Food and Agriculture in 1977. It was an effort to help family
farms compete with California’s big industrial farms by marketing
local products directly to consumers. The designation California
Certified guarantees that the consumer is buying produce directly
from the farmer who produced it. At the farmers market, sellers
are only too happy to talk to you about their wares. They can
clue you in about which produce is at its peak ripeness and which
crops they’ll be harvesting in the upcoming weeks. What’s more,
they usually have great recipe suggestions for the produce they
sell.
The markets offer an unrivaled variety of flavorful treats.
In spring, you’ll find salad greens, bulb fennel, asparagus,
artichokes, and green garlic. At the height of summer, you can
find lettuce, tomatoes, beans, cucumbers, squash, sweet peppers,
chilies, herbs, and more. In fall, apples, pears, winter squash,
and pumpkins come into season. Winter is the time of kales and
chards, beets and carrots, and a multitude of head lettuces.
You’ll often find heirloom varieties that are new to the marketplace.
And the latest trends in fruits and vegetables that you read
about in cooking magazines will usually appear at the farmers
market long before you see them in the supermarket. Farmers markets
are also a great source for organic produce. Many growers are
certified organic, while others use organic farming methods.
Talk to the growers to find out what types of farming practices
they use.
In addition to tree-ripened fruits and fresh-picked vegetables,
most farmers markets also sell fish, poultry, and organic beef
and pork. Bakeries offer fresh breads and pastries, and other
farms produce cheese, eggs, and honey. You can even find olive
oil and vinegars to dress the fresh salad mix you just bought,
as well as fresh flowers for your table. No matter what you’re
cooking, the freshness and quality of a farmers market can’t
be beat. So grab your shopping sack and head to your local market.
Once you get accustomed to the delicious, brightly colored bounty,
you may never look back!
Tips for Making the Most of Your Market Experience
1. Bring small bills and change to pay for your purchases. This
will make for an easy transaction with each vendor.
2. Bring a large cloth or net shopping bag. Remember that ripe
fruit will bruise easily; handle your purchases with care and
make multiple trips to your car if necessary.
3. Get to the market early; the selection will be best in the
opening hours of the market. (If you arrive late, though, don’t
despair. Sellers prefer not to be left with inventory, so you
can often get some great deals just before closing time.)
4. Take a walk through the market before you begin to buy. This
way you can compare prices and taste samples.
5. Be flexible, as what you’re looking for may not be at the
market that week. This is a great opportunity to try
something new. The farmers can suggest what tastes best that week.
6. Don’t overbuy. All of the beautiful produce will tempt you
into buying more than you should. Remember, there will be another
market next week.
7. Talk to the farmers; develop a relationship with the person
who grew what you’ll be eating. They can tell you how it was
grown, when it’s ripe, and how long it will last in your fridge.
Napa and Sonoma Farmers Markets
Year-Round Markets
Friday—Sonoma
Saturday and Wednesday—Santa Rosa
May Through October Markets
Sunday—Sebastopol
Tuesday—Napa, Healdsburg, Sonoma
Wednesday—Santa Rosa downtown, Yountville
Thursday—Cotati and Windsor
Friday—Napa chef’s market
Saturday—Calistoga, Healdsburg, Napa
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