Farmer's Market

I have had such a hectic week. Put in a full day at the office, then run what felt like a bazillon errands afterwards. It was tiring, but worth it. Why? Because if freed up my Saturday for me to enjoy. And what did I choose to do with my beautiful, though somewhat soggy, magical Saturday morning?

With my favorite basket in hand, appropriately called a medium market basket, I drove through the misty morning rain, and went early to the Flint Farmer's market. I had three things I wanted to come home with: fresh lettuce, dried beans and a loaf of whole grain bread.

One thing you should know about me...being an avid reader, I stumbled upon two books, that changed the way I buy good. Animal, Vegetable, Miracle and Plenty-the 100 mile diet. Both talk about the fact that most of the food we eat comes from across the entire country, or worse, even further. Fruits and vegetables begin to lose vitamins, and obviously, freshness the moment they are picked. Just how fresh do you think a tomato from southern Mexico is then? So I have begun reading labels, and at the Farmer's Market asking where things were grown.

Even at a farmer's market, it is smart to ask... unless you truly believe Chicita bananas, watermelon and even pineapples are grown locally! Yes, truly did see these items in a vendor's stand. I said, sorry, I prefer locally grown. The gentleman told me in a snippy voice that I would not find anything fresh there today. I turned around, walked away, and over to a stand selling fresh locally grown spring lettuces, radishes and turnip greens...from an educational farm, in Beecher, grown by kids. This is where I purchased, inexpensively, a big bag of lettuces.

I found an array of dried beans that were packaged in Perry. The seller was honest, and admitted that some of the beans were not grown locally, because many could not be grown in Michigan. I picked up white northern beans and cranberry beans (!!) there. At a stand nearby, I got the whole grain bread (and a cinnamon roll).

I think the highlight of my morning experience was talking to a sweet older lady, at one of the outside stalls, who was selling a variety of crafts & old books...She was the picture of everyone's gramma. From her I splurged, and bought an tulip print apron, for myself!

Freshness and locally grown are the main reasons I frequent the Farmer's Market in Flint. You just have to ask..and not believe that there are pineapple trees in Michigan!