Farmers Markets will be kicking off the 2024 season in a few months.
Producers have been working hard first, ordering seed in February and then, planting it and placing it under grow lights, in green houses or in high tunnels with the best of conditions for the seeds to sprout and grow.
As the producers get ready, there are things you, as a consumer, can do to prepare as well.
Get a market bag. While market vendors will have plastic bags to put your purchases in, a market bag, usually made of canvas or a linen material, is a bag you can put your purchases in without having a lot of plastic bags to carry. Mine has pockets in it so I can put preserves in one pouch, tomatoes in anothe
r, scones in a separate one and eggplant in the bottom of the bag. The point is that nothing gets squished and one item is protected from the other. I got mine on Etsy. Be aware of what is in season. The early markets may not have a lot of produce, but you may find asparagus, strawberries, green onions, some lettuces and rhubarb. And that's just a mere sampling of what may be available. Growing conditions will determine how some items have made it through the winter.
Also, gather recipes for the upcoming season. You may have a tried and true family recipe that is perfect for those new potatoes or a crisp recipe that calls for rhubarb. There is nothing better than the comfort foods we cherish and also the new recipes that you will try.
That brings me back to rhubarb. It doesn't have to be a pie, cake, sauce or crisp. There are savory recipes for it as well.
Follow me at thelocalgrowers.com for recipes and to learn more about producers who are growing our local foods.
Remember to eat local!