Savvy Tips for Your Next Trip to the Farmers Market
Some of my favorite parts of the fall season are picking my pumpkin from a pumpkin patch, hot apple cider on a windy day, and going to farmers markets for fresh fall produce. Shopping at a farmers market is one way to ensure that what you’re buying is fresh, seasonal and local. I love trying new foods and talking to kindest people at farmers markets. For me, this is what fall is all about!
A fall tradition I have is baking a fresh apple pie the day after Halloween to welcome in the holiday season. My mom and I started doing this when I was in high school and the tradition continues today! You wanna know where we get the apples from? You guessed it. From an apple grower at our local farmers market who gives us the freshest, tastiest granny smith apples you’ve ever tasted.
And did you know that behind the rows of produce and delicious offerings, farmers markets are also a bustling hub of sustainability? Yup! So next time you’re at your local farmers market grabbing ingredients for your yearly tradition, here are some sustainable tips to follow!
Bring your own reusable bags
I might sound like a broken record with this one, but BYOB (bring your own bags)! Cut down on waste and skip the plastic by bringing your own reusable bag. I recommend bringing a bigger sized one especially if you tend to buy more than you expect (like me!). I have seen people carry their items in wheel carts and backpacks too! Whatever works!
Pro tip! To keep fruits and veggies from wilting on the way home, bring a cooler bag and line the bottom with damp paper towels. It will keep them from drying out and wilting!
If it’s just for you, ask for half the produce
This is one I have done before too. Now that I live on my own, there are way less mouths to feed than when I was living with my family. If you know you won’t be able to eat certain produce before they go bad, ask the vendor if you can just take half-a head of that lettuce. You can even ask for the smallest items they have available. From my experiences, vendors are always super nice and happy to help.
Ask vendors if they give anything for bringing back storage items
I didn’t know this one until recently! Some vendors will give you money back when you bring back storage containers. One vendor at my local farmers market will give $3 when you bring him back his egg carton and another vendor gave me $2 from a $7 purchase of cold brew milk after I gave him back the glass bottle. It’s a super easy tip that’s savvy and sustainable!
Purchase what's in season
Fruits and veggies that are in season are always going to be richer in flavor. So look up which veggies are in season right now before you head to your local farmers market. You might get some inspiration for a new recipe too! As we creep into mid-fall, some in season produce are green beans, bell peppers, mushrooms, pumpkin, squash, sweet potatoes, kale and many other greens!
Get to know your vendors!
This is a fun one! At grocery stores, employees probably won’t know much about the produce they sell in the store. But ask a farmers market vendor about their produce and they are sure to tell you everything they know. If you have a question, don’t hesitate to ask them! It could strike up a friendly conversation and could lead to some amazing hospitality.
Paul is our local apple farmer and since we’ve gotten our granny smith apples from him for the past few years, he always greets us with an extremely warm welcome and gives us a discount on our yearly apple purchase.
I can give all my thanks to farmers markets for trying new seasonal flavors, interacting with some of the kindest people on the planet and making a delicious apple pie from local produce. After writing this, I’m already getting excited to make the trip to my farmers market in a week! I can already taste that granny smith apple pie.
What do your trips to the farmers market look like? Leave a comment and let me know!
