Lausanne, Switzerland

Liz O’Sullivan is an Irish expat who has been living in Lausanne for the past six years. A full-time foodie, she moonlights in the IT department of a large manufacturing company in the Lausanne area to feed her (food) habit.

Farmers Market Update: Lausanne, Switzerland

by Liz O’Sullivan

This week, the farmers market update comes to you from Lausanne, a wonderful place nestling on the shores of Lake Geneva in Switzerland.

Here we are on Google Maps: Lausanne

This is an outdoors market held year around on Wednesdays and Saturdays – yes, even when it’s snowing!

The market is located near the old town of Lausanne, in close proximity to the cathedral and the town hall. One of the fun things about this market is the vibrant atmosphere – people treat it very much as a social occasion, and it’s usual to see cafés thronged with people taking a coffee and a croissant as a break from their morning shopping.

Unlike in the US, it’s not usual for farms here to have a website – we ‘re lucky if stalls display their name. A phone number is a bonus! Local producers usually operate on a very small scale, and often have a limited assortment of goods on sale.

While last weekend brought us beautiful, sunny (and unseasonable) weather, today showed that Autumn has mostly definitely arrived. The delicate, fragrant Summer produce has been replaced by delicious autumn vegetables such as pumpkins, potatoes and onions, and these walnuts and chestnuts, the latter simply waiting to be roasted.

Pumpkin

Nuts

Or how about some leafy green fresh herbs to go with the pumpkin?

I eat mushrooms every other day, can’t get enough of them. I like to to sauté them in a little olive oil and some ground spices. Right now, the choice is huge, but I have a weakness for the chanterelles (the yellow ones in the foreground). The mixed mushrooms in the background are a composition of Autumn chanterelles, ceps, morels, brown mushrooms and more.

Apples

Mushrooms

I love apples and this time of year brings its own varieties, such as the almost-forgotten pinova – a sweet-tasting crunchy variety. I also found Golden Victor, Boskoop and Conference pears.

The Lausanne market isn’t just about fruit and vegetables, it’s also a place for bakers (small, non-commercial ones) to display their wares. My favorite baker offers a wonderful choice of artisan breads such as spelt, olive and sun-dried tomato or bread with sunflower seeds, not to mention croissants, brioches and other tempting treats.

Cheese

Bread

Although Switzerland is a small country with an area of only 15,940 square miles, every canton (a mini-version of the states in the US) boasts its own specialities of cheese, dried meats, biscuits etc., and these are commonly sold at weekly markets. I’m Irish, cheese is part of my heritage and I can never resist trying new varieties. So I was delighted to find goats’ and sheep’s cheese from the canton of Fribourg (Freiburg) on display.

And, last but not least, we would not be in Switzerland if this were not on sale too.

Chocolate

What I bought:

• Sunflower seed breadrolls (Boulangerie Genoux)
• Chanterelles (Tschabold mushroom farm)
• Pumpkin, basil (Domenico Capellano)
• Gruyère cheese, one round of soft goat’s cheese (Fromagerie Alain Macheret)
• Potatoes, onions, broccoli (Domenico Capellano)
• Chocolate (I know, I know 😉

If you’d like to share your farmers market with Summer Tomato readers, please click here.

Mums and Pretty Pumpkins

I’ve been itching to get a post from the Chicago Green City farmers market and now thanks to Sharon Steed we finally have one!

Sharon is a writer from Chicago. She loves health and fitness, cooking, and Twitter (@sharonsteed). She also has a blog where she writes about writing, social media, the internet and how those three things relate to the current season of the Real Housewives (and her favorite of the moment is Lisa from Beverly Hills).

Farmers Market Update: Chicago

by Sharon Steed

You never really know what kind of weather you’ll have in Chicago – especially on the second-to-last day of October. Just a few days earlier, a lot of the city was in t-shirts and flip flops. So when I ventured out to Green City Farmers Market’s last outdoor day of the year in gorgeous Lincoln Park, I only know one thing for certain: it would be windy.

Green City is the only year-round farmers market in the Chicagoland area. From mid-May through October, the market is outdoors right next to Lake Michigan and a short walk south of Lincoln Park Zoo. From November to just before Christmas, it heads indoors to the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum right across Clark Street.

This particular day was pretty special; it was the last outdoor day of the season, and it was the day before Halloween. I got a huge dose of the chilly lake-effect winds, young families and their furry companions, and adorable princesses and “little monsters” running around everywhere. Sun and blue skies (in October!) made for a truly beautiful fall day in the city.

Bok choy and Celeriac

Kale

I love green leafy vegetables. And I usually try to start my day with some sort of green smoothie. Kale, chard and spinach are three of my favorite. Walking around the market, I saw a lot of barrels and bags filled with greens and root vegetables. Of course, I took a few bags of spinach home.

Looks Like Fall

I love summer. But foods like these make me happy to live in such a beautiful city where I can see the seasons change and taste delicious, flavorful fall foods. And I never get tired of colorful flowers, especially when the temperature drops below fifty degrees.

Onions

Kohlrabi

The kohlrabi and onions were right next to each other in the middle of the market. After a talking with a local market goer, I found out that kohlrabi is a part of the cabbage family that can be green (as shown) or purple. I had a taste of one at the market; it’s similar to a broccoli stem but not as tart and slightly sweeter.

Honey and Apple Butter

Fresh Cranberries

I’ll admit it; I willingly give anything with “butter” or “honey” as an ingredient a try. I munch on almonds and cashews all day, and I prefer honey or agave nectar as a sweetener to sugar. So when I happened upon this table with Amish apple butter and honey, I was all in. The cranberries were just so vibrant looking that I couldn’t walk by without at least taking a picture. And they remind me of Thanksgiving: my favorite holiday.

Gourds and Pumpkins

Bee On Apple

I found this little bee shivering on some pretty delicious looking apples right as I walked into the market. I guess no one gave him the memo that Indian summer was over!

What I bought:

• five golden delicious apples
• Homemade Amish apple butter
• one bag of baby spinach
• one bag of savoy spinach
• two red sweet potatoes
• two sun gold red tomatoes

A few tips:

• Parking in Lincoln Park is insane, especially on a good-weather Saturday morning. So instead of paying $9 to park in the lot, ditch the car and take public transportation. The Lincoln Park trolley runs every Saturday down Stockton Drive, and it’s free. Or, take the red line, get off on Clark and Division, and walk a few blocks north to the market. There’s also the 22 Clark, 36 Broadway, 73 Armitage and 151 Sheridan buses that all stop nearby.
• Layer up, especially during a month not named July or August. Chicago weather is terribly unpredictable. And since the market is literally in Lincoln Park’s namesake and a few steps from Lake Michigan, brisk winds are always a strong possibility.
• Green City is a twice-a-week market: Saturday and Wednesday mornings from 7am to 1pm from May to October, and 8am to 1pm from November to the end of the year. And the indoor market is right across Clark Street from the outdoor market. They share a  parking lot ($9 after validating), and public transportation is the same.
• One of the best things about the location of Green City is that it’s right in the middle of one of the best parks in Chicago. Lincoln Park Zoo is a few steps north, walking/jogging paths weave throughout the expansive green space and North Avenue beach is a short walk east. There’s also plenty of space for a post-market picnic, baseball or just a nice walk with your family.

Shisikaikai

I’ve always wanted to go to Tokyo, and this seals the deal. Huge thanks to Joan for giving us a glimpse of the local food movement direct from Japan.

Joan Lambert Bailey lives, farms, and gardens in Tokyo. Follow her from seed to harvest to market at Popcorn Homestead and Everyday Gardens, as well as greenz.

Follow Joan on Twitter @JoanLBailey

Farmers Market Update: Tokyo

by Joan Lambert Bailey

First thoughts of Tokyo usually do not include farmer’s markets. Yet, this megalopolis balances its abundance of concrete, neon, and skyscrapers with a healthy dose of green spaces large and small that in the last few years have begun to include a handful of western-style farmers markets. A burgeoning local food movement fueled by food safety concerns as well as a cultural penchant for local, seasonal foods draw growers, producers, and eaters together in ever-increasing numbers to mix and mingle over tables brimming with seasonal fare.

Fruit Stall

Ryohei Watanabe Farm

Heading down to the weekly United Nations University Farmers Market is to enter one of the city’s larger hives of fresh, local foods. An easy (albeit slightly uphill) walk from hopping Shibuya, the market attracts growers and producers from literally all over the country. (“Local” here often means not only the city or region the market is located in, but Japan itself.) On our most recent trip we met vendors from the northernmost island of Hokkaido, as far south as the island of Kyushu, mountainous Nagano, and the Izu-Hanto Peninsula. Many also come from as close as Chiba, a fantastically beautiful growing area just southwest of Tokyo, as famous for its rice and vegetables as it is for it’s surfing.

Edamame

Kaki

The day we went a spell of cool rainy weather had just broken and bursts of sunshine seemed to sprout shoppers in every corner of the market. Lined up two deep at nearly each of the more than seventy stalls arrayed under white awnings in front of the university, the atmosphere buzzed with good food shopping. Vendors offered up a mix of the last of the summer – eggplants, okra, nashi (Japanese pear) and edamame – alongside the first tastes of fall and winter – kaki (persimmon), chestnuts, apples, sweet potatoes and early winter greens. The first of this year’s rice harvest as well as new miso, honey, jam, green yuzu, grapes, and satoimo (taro) helped fill out the days selection, too. It’s easy to find enough ingredients for a week’s worth of meals. (I confess that I usually overdo because I can’t resist a good-looking vegetable!)

Baskets

Satoimo

On our first turn about to see what was on offer I stopped to visit Ryohei Watanabe of Farm Campus, a new CSA where members purchase a cross-section of rows of assorted seasonal vegetables with the option to work the fields themselves. Along with brochures about his CSA, Ryohei offered up moroheya – a tasty and nutritious leafy green, lovely winter squash in all sizes, Chinese greens, okra, green peppers, and eggplant. He’s toying with the idea of planting late season sweet corn, an experiment I’m anxious to hear (and taste) the results of when the time comes. Meanwhile, I couldn’t resist the squash, and so a medium Yukigesyo was the first purchase to land in my bag.

Down the lane a bit, just past a beautiful display of blue, red, and yellow potatoes from Hokkaido, I ran into KOGA Ecological Club. A student group from Kokugakuin University, KOGA members work with aging farmers in a shiraku (hamlet) in Chiba. Learning farming from preparing fields for harvest to selling the harvest at market, they offered chestnuts, samples of newly harvested boiled peanuts, as well as kodaimai, an heirloom rice distinctive for its easy growing as well as its red coloring, and togarashi (Japanese hot peppers). Clearly enjoying themselves, this table drew in a bevy of customers for their infectious enthusiasm as much as their tasty wares. Caught up in it myself, I added chestnuts, kodaimai, and togarashi to our upcoming menu.

Kodaimai

Swinging around to the other side of the market past stalls selling rock salt, mushroom spore filled logs for home growing, and fresh bread, I stopped to sample the steamed buns filled with sweet potato from Shikisaisai in Fukushima. An all organic farm run by a young couple, they alone could have filled our larder for the week. Reasonably priced bags of newly harvested brown rice and big shapely sweet potatoes dug just the day before joined the usual combination of later summer and early winter vegetables. This first taste of the year’s limited sweet potato harvest (high heat paired with drought conditions are making for a very limited supply of this signature fall crop) made it inevitable that two of them would get added to our menu for steaming with that evening’s rice.

Just next to Shikisaisai, the Sunny Products booth offered up a myriad of vegetables along with some tasty looking eringi, one of the many seasonal mushrooms swinging into their peak just now and considerably cheaper than the famous matsutake. Like a handful of other vendors at this particular market, Sunny Products is a distributor rather than a grower. Carefully labeled items let customers know the name of the farm and its location, and staff are able to discuss a particular grower as well as share recipes. It’s perhaps no surprise to learn that the eringi journeyed home to our table, too.

Circling back around, I ventured over to a particularly nice looking display of kaki (persimmon) near Farm Campus’ stall. Perhaps the fruit of the season in Japan, kaki trees can be found in urban and suburban areas as well as outlying areas heavy with fruit. This booth served up three varieties from Aichi and Fukuoka Prefectures – long and chubby, round and fat, and square and stout – with slightly differing levels of sweetness. Tasty fresh, dried, or even soaked in sake for extended periods of time, the kaki never disappoints. I came away with one of each to compare for myself and for a colorful dessert option.

Read more about How to pick a persimmon

What we bought:

• Yukigesyo Winter Squash
• Chestnuts
• Kodaimai Heirloom Rice
• Togarashi
• Sweet potatoes
• Eringi Mushrooms
• Kaki

Tips and Insights

• The UN University Market runs every weekend on both Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 4pm. Most vendors come both days, but not all. It’s worth the effort to try and come both days or switch back and forth from week to week.
• Every third Friday of the month a Night Market is held. Food vendors, live music, and farmers make for a unique evening out in the city. Even on the chilliest of evenings it’s not to be missed!
• Not all vendors, of course, speak English, but smiles, a general show of interest and a sincere “Arigato!” (thank you) at the end all go a long way for a positive food shopping experience.
• Not all vendors are organic or necessarily farmers. Some are distributors, like Sunny Products, and others are Tokyo relatives of the growers. Asking where the food comes from and how it got to Tokyo is fine, and the majority of vendors will have brochures or business cards with a website listed, too.
• Bring an extra shopping bag as well as a small notebook. If you’re like me, you end up buying more than you thought, and it’s easier to remember the name of a new fruit or vegetable if you can jot it down. Plus, a recipe often follows, and you’ll get so many good ones you should be prepared.
• Plenty of interesting food carts are on hand, too, selling everything from coffee and pastries to full meals – vegetarian, organic, and meaty – with accompanying tables and chairs.
• A few craft vendors are also present selling beautiful handmade goods that make excellent gifts for anyone (including yourself!) on your list.

Charlotte Farmers Market Pumpkins

Pardon the delay in getting this post up today, there was some scheduling confusion. But I’m thrilled to have Stephen Wise share his insights of the farmers market in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Stephen Wise is the creator of TeaHacker.com & founder of Utopian Tea, a modern-style online only tea store. If you’re interested in discovering insights of tea on a molecular level or life hacks for the tea-drinker’s lifestyle, Tea Hacker offers exactly that, as well as tips & experiments geared for healthy living and anyone interested in tea. For more discussion, follow @TeaHacker on Twitter.

Farmers Market Update: Charlotte

by Stephen Wise

Changing seasons is the perfect time to hit up your local farmers market as this is when you’ll come across the latest rewards nature brings us yearly. As you see the leaves changing colors and feel the crisp Autumn air, the tipping point of feeling a connection to the new season is experiencing the flavors of foods you haven’t had in far too many months. Discovering the Charlotte Regional Farmers Market this weekend was the perfect way to actively kick off that Autumn ‘mood’ I get every year, and these local providers went all out with this theme in mind. Arriving at a presentation of hundreds of pumpkins spread across bails of hay, I knew this trip would double as a chance at snagging some great food along with some serious pumpkin hunting.

Autumn Harvest Decorative Baskets

White Mini Pumpkins

Most of the providers seemed to be local families, and they had it all! Next to the pumpkins were varying groups selling home-made pumpkin pies, Autumn corn, colorful giant gourds, and even pumpkin butter. It was fascinating to find out that they would even go out of their way to create a custom Autumn-style decorative art basket made of mini pumpkins, corn, odd shaped gourds, and similar crops (some of which I couldn’t even identify) of your choice. With prices for good-sized pumpkins at just $5, I highly recommend checking your own farmers market if you want to save a great deal of money prepping for jack-o-lanterns this Halloween, as most stand-alone commercialized pumpkin patches hike their prices for decent pumpkins up to $25 for the exact same thing.

Autumn Corn

Homemade Pumpkin Pies

On the other side of the lot, I found things to be compromised of a huge span of general staples from Charlotte and the surrounding area. Of course there was all of the expected fresh greens & fruits of the world, but I couldn’t help but notice there was an abundance of sweet potatoes. Every vendor had their share, it seemed, pricing baskets of nearly a dozen for just $3. Sweet-corn, giant carrots, blackberries, and several types of squash were also found all over. Interestingly enough, goat cheese was also a hit, showing they’ve got diary fans covered as well.

Red Kapps - Autumn Beans

Sweet Potato Baskets

The diversity of the people in charge of their own sections here was incredible. Every nationality & age had a part in coming together to put a ton of effort into making this farmers market a success. This also shown through to the actual product-side of things. I met a woman there who had what seemed like years worth of clothing & hats she knits and sells herself, showing this farmers market definitely welcomes local arts along with food. She explained how she’s only missed two days during the past twenty years of ongoing attendance. Right across from her area, was the vendor with the longest line, Red Kapps, who decided to go all out with the biggest assortment of all kinds of apples I’ve ever seen in one place. Seriously, these guys went crazy with Fuji, Arkansas Black, Red Delicious, Jona Gold apples, and more. Also, they were the only ones to have Autumn beans, which are new to me. Red Kapps has gained a reputation as probably the most friendly and well-rounded farmers here, so be sure to swing by their section, ask what’s new, and they’ll be more than happy to share their latest recipe ideas.

Pumpkin Butter

Knitted Caps

Tips & Insights:

• If you want to enjoy the full potential of Charlotte’s Regional Farmer’s Market, be sure to arrive early. Market opens at 8am, but shopping starts taking place moments before. Fresh eggs & local meats are the first to go, and I heard rumor of ‘The Mushroom Dude’ who sells exactly what his name suggests, and apparently sells out fast. I arrived later, and was told I had just missed him.
• Some vendors accept credit card, but remember to bring cash. If you decide to use credit card, just be aware that they usually have a $10 minimum here.
• Ask questions & look at labels. If you’re looking for local goods, keep your guard up. Some of the vendors here are obviously resellers, selling crops shipped in from thousands of miles away or from Harris Teeter distribution plants. I was told that if you go during the weekdays, the market is slower and a lot of what you’ll see are basically resellers. You can recognize many local farms by Slow Food Charlotte giving them banners that say NC Farmer or SC Farmer, or just ask them.
• Need to buy flowers? This is the place to do it, with incredible looking fresh bouquets of flowers for just $10! The flower selection during Spring months is said to be the most impressive.
• If you’re curious about some kind of food, some farmers will go ahead and let you try a sample. Just be sure to ask, first.

Today’s Purchases:

• -Medium Orange Pumpkin
• -Mini multi-colored pumpkin
• -Homemade Pumpkin Pie
• -Large Pears
• -Blackberries
• -Fresh Honey w/ Honey Comb (Great used as a tea sweetener)
• -Avocado
• -Sweet Corn
• -Fennel
• -Carolina BBQ Sauce

Tomatoes

One of my favorite Summer Tomato contributors recently took a trip to Santa Fe, New Mexico, and visited the farmers market there.

Virginia Griffey is an editor in Oakland. She spends her time running, snowboarding, cooking, and hanging out with her friends and dog, Pebbles. Virginia is currently training for her third marathon while trying to raise $1,500 for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Donations of any size are greatly appreciated.

Follow her on Twitter @virginiagriffey.

Farmers Market Update: Santa Fe

by Virginia Griffey

I am lucky enough to have some wonderful friends, Henry and Kristin, living in Santa Fe, the unique and beautiful 400-year-old city that is the capital of New Mexico. I went there at the end of May for a visit, but I didn’t get a chance to go to the Santa Fe Farmers Market. When I went back again this month, I made visiting the market a top priority.

First I visited the Santa Fe market’s website to find out what to expect. The market operates year-round with four markets a week during the summer (two Tuesday, one Thursday, one Saturday). The agricultural products sold at the market are grown in a 15-county region of northern New Mexico. Crafts and processed items are made with agricultural products from that region. The market accepts WIC and food stamps. As is the norm at farmers markets, no dogs are allowed (besides service dogs), but there is a free dog-sitting service.

Shallots

Squash Blossoms

I also examined the website to see what kinds of products to expect. Santa Fe is at an elevation above 7,000 feet, so I thought there might be some interesting vegetables that aren’t available in the Bay Area, but I didn’t see any fruit or vegetable vendors offering anything that stood out much. I did, however, notice that there was a vendor selling yak meat, and I was very excited about trying some. Yaks are high-elevation animals, so it seemed to make sense that someone might raise them in the area.

Yak

I headed to the market on a Tuesday morning. I wasn’t going to be in town for the Saturday market, so I was crossing my fingers that Tuesday’s market would have a good showing of vendors. It did. There was a lot of squash, corn and stone fruit available, but Henry and Kristin have squash in their garden, and we’d just bought corn and peaches the day before at a fruit stand in Velarde, about 40 miles north of Santa Fe. So I looked around for what else was available.

White Peaches

Chard

Following Darya’s farmers market suggestions, I made sure to walk around the market, check out all the vendors and try a few samples before buying anything. I tried white and yellow peaches and honeycrisp apples at Freshies of New Mexico. I admired the lovely allium offerings at Funnel Farm’s booth — leeks, shallots, early bosque garlic and onions. I ate some yellow carrots at Tina’s Farm. To me, they seemed milder and less sweet than the orange carrots that I’ve had.

Yellow Carrots

After walking the length of the market, I came to Jacona Farm, which had a colorful selection of heirloom tomatoes as well as baskets of padron and shishito peppers. Best of all, they had samples of their tomatoes. Trying these tomatoes was my first true “Summer Tomato” experience. They were the best tomatoes I’d ever tasted: pure tomato flavor, the perfect soft but not mealy texture. Though each tasted like a tomato, they all tasted different from the others. I couldn’t help but think that this amazing variety of flavors is one of the things we risk losing by buying off-season “notional tomatoes” at supermarkets rather than supporting these amazing local farmers.

I ate some grilled shishito peppers from Monte Vista Farm. Kristin had told me about these mild peppers, which often are fried, so I sought them out. Monte Vista also was selling garlic scape powder, so I bought a packet to bring home. I stopped by South Mountain Dairy’s booth to sample a few goat’s milk products. The dairy’s motto is, “It’s all about the girls.” I tried apricot chèvre, green chile chèvre and queso fresco. The vendor was selling goat’s milk but didn’t have any samples, but I did get to try some blackberry-flavored goat’s milk yogurt.

Chevre

Shishito Peppers

Next, I headed to the Taos Mountain Yak booth. The vendor said the meat is lower in fat and cholesterol than beef but high in omega-3s and stays very tender when cooked. Henry and I were planning a barbecue for later in the week, so I picked up a couple of yak tenderloin steaks to grill up. I also grabbed a bag of yak jerky milk bones for Henry and Kristin’s dogs.

That Friday, Henry threw the steaks on the grill. They were small, and generally I like my steaks about medium rare, so I was worried it would be very easy to overdo it, especially since neither of us had any experience with yak meat. Henry flipped the steaks over a few times as I became increasingly concerned that they were getting overcooked. Finally, I just couldn’t watch anymore. I went inside to get something to drink, came back out, and Henry finally had taken them off the grill. I looked at my steak, thinking about all the money I’d spent for it to end up overdone, and took a bite. It was the most tender meat I’ve ever tasted. I think Henry could have cooked them a lot longer without any problem. As far as taste and tenderness, I give yak meat two thumbs up!

Inchelium Red Garlic

Leeks

Purchases:

• striped German tomato – Jacona Farm
• rainbow chard – Santa Cruz Farm
• blackberries – Santa Cruz Farm
• yellow carrots – Tina’s Farm
• honeycrisp apples – Freshies of New Mexico
• inchelium red garlic – One Straw Farm
• shallot – Funnel Farm
• pinto beans – Shirley Martinez
• shishito peppers – Monte Vista Orchard
• garlic scape powder – Monte Vista Orchard
• green chile chèvre – South Mountain Dairy
• yak tenderloin steaks – Taos Mountain Yak
• jerky milk bones for dogs – Taos Mountain Yak[link:
• baguette – Cloud Cliff Bakery

Fuji & Golden Delicious Apples

Huge thanks to Alex and Becky for sharing with us their local farmers market in Lansdale, Pennsylvania.

Becky, is a kindergarten teacher and a mother of two boys, a preschooler and a one year old. Alex is a recent college graduate and an aspiring graphic designer. Visit his site www.alexfelts.com and follow Alex on Twitter @alexfelts or Digg (alex3540).

Farmers Market Update: Lansdale, Pennsylvania

by Becky Geremia and Alex Felts

The Lansdale Farmers Market is a newer market. This is only its second year, but the quality they deliver is fantastic. Lansdale is a suburb of Philadelphia, PA. The market is hosted in Railroad Plaza every Saturday from June to November.

Cheese

Summer Veggies

My brother and I have been loyal customers since it began. We both are big supporters of the revitalization of Lansdale and have enjoyed seeing the patronage coming to our town through the Lansdale Farmers Market.

The requirement of being a vendor is that you sell only what you produce. All products sold at the market must be grown, baked, crafted by the seller and must be done locally. The products vary but produce, meat, wine, breads, plants, herbs, cupcakes, and even furniture are for purchase at the market.

Melons

Meats

We begin the morning walking the few short blocks from my house to Railroad Plaza. We start with a stop by the Tabora Farm and Orchard stand, where my brother always gets breakfast, an orange cranberry muffin and my son gets a sweet treat, a happy face cookie.

Happy Face Cookies

Cranberry Orange Muffins

We continue our walk with a quick preview and then set our sights on buying. We have been hooked on corn and peaches all summer long. Now that fall is just around the corner, apples, squash, and pears are plentiful. A great buy is the all natural anti itch soap and the novelty soaps from Green Street Luxuries. This year, special kids events (bouncy house, crafts, story time, birthday cake, etc.) are scheduled too.

Tomatoes, Potatoes, Onions

Peppers

At home, it is a decision what to make first. While my son enjoys cutting the ends off the beans, my brother lights up the grill to cook us up some steaks. Now… if only we could find an occasion to pop the jalepano wine from Boyd’s!

Purchases:

• Orange Cranberry Muffin (Tabora Farm and Orchard)
• Happy face Cookie (Tabora Farm and Orchard)
• Pumpernickel Bread (Tabora Farm and Orchard)
• Onion (Windy Springs Farm)
• Tomatoes (Windy Springs Farm)
• Ground Beef (Windy Springs Farm)
• Hot Italian Beef Sausage (Windy Springs Farm)
• Fuji Apples (Orchard Hill Farms)
• Peaches (Orchard Hill Farms)
• Peppers (Orchard Hill Farms)
• Lettuce (Jett’s Produce)
• Sharp Cheddar Cheese (Jett’s Produce)

Delicata Squash

I haven’t spent much time in the South, but there is such a strong food culture there and I’ve been dying to know how the local farmers markets step up. Big thanks to Amy Morrison for giving us a peek into Atlanta, Georgia.

Amy’s Morrison’s new blog Fix the Food! focuses on food industry updates, navigating today’s broken food system and avoiding processed food and contaminants. Visit her blog at www.fixthefood.com, like Fix the Food! on Facebook, or follow her on twitter @fixthefood.

Farmers Market Update: Atlanta

by  Amy Morrison

I am thrilled to bring you a Farmers Market Update from Atlanta this week. I’ve been a fan of the Summer Tomato blog for quite a while, appreciating Darya’s infectiously upbeat attitude toward healthy, fresh food as well as her no-nonsense dedication to many of the concepts I feel everyone in America must strive to re-integrate into their lives.

For this update I’d like to take you through the Marietta Square Farmers Market. It is a local-only outdoor market, with their #1 stated rule being that all products must be grown or created by the vendors themselves. It takes place in the heart of downtown Marietta–a town just outside of Atlanta proper–that is typically known as little more than “just a suburb.”

I’ll admit, the first time I saw the Marietta Square I was very surprised. The entire area is so vital and charming: a beautiful old park flanked by lovely little shops, restaurants, and even a grand old theatre. In an area otherwise defined by big-box-stores and the need to drive everywhere, it was refreshing to find this historically-intact gem where people still can walk from place to unique place.

The farmers market takes place on the north end of the Square every Saturday morning from May through November. This year the market features approximately 60 vendors, nearly double its size from just a few years ago. The vendors there sell everything from fresh (a great variety of vegetables, fresh dairy and eggs) to hand-crafted (herb-infused oils, candied jalapeños–yum!, delicious-smelling soaps, etc.)

This week, the first thing that caught my eye wasn’t food, but instead the “angels of agriculture” themselves. A local beekeeper had brought an entire section of his hive for display. How could I turn down some of their very own handiwork? Not only was there honey (raw, of course!), but also bee pollen, one of nature’s most nutrient-dense substance.

Bee Pollen

Bees

The first vegetable that stood out to me was this lovely heirloom red okra. Okra may not be for everyone, but of course as a good southern girl I love it.

Heirloom Red Okra

One thing that almost everyone had this week was beans, from green to purple hull. But what really looked delicious were the Chinese long beans. Another late summer item on nearly all tables were peppers, both fresh and hand-canned pickled ones.

Cubanella Peppers

Chinese Long Beans

Anyone who’s ever grown squash knows that when it comes in, it does so with a vengeance. Pleasantly though, there was not only yellow summer squash, but the lovely late summer squash varieties as well.

Delicata Squash

Yellow Squash

And of course I’m not the only one that needs good eats, my four-legged pal Penny needs good snacks too. I was delighted by these delicious (I didn’t personally eat one) doggie treats handmade from locally sourced organic ingredients.

Peanut Butter Dog Biscuits

Purchases:

• Honey and bee pollen – Hometown Honey
• Heirloom red okra – Indigo’s Produce
• Whole milk and buttermilk – Johnston Family Farm
• Chinese long beans, Cubanella peppers, canned pickled peppers – Zio Micu’s Garden
• Yellow squash – Allene’s Produce
• Delicata squash, Pink Beauty tomatoes – Turtle Bend Farm
• Peanut butter dog biscuits – Big Daddy Biscuits

What did you buy this week?

Blackberries

I’ve wanted a Seattle market update for so long. Huge thanks to Aubrey for making it happen.

Aubrey Bach is one of the co-founders of www.yay-today.com, a Seattle-based blog dedicated to sharing the best (and cheapest) things to do, see, buy and eat in the city.

If you’re interested in finding out more about the deals the girls at yay-today are busy finding, visit their blog www.yay-today.com, like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter @yay_today.

Farmers Market Update: Seattle’s University District

by Aubrey Bach

I am super excited to be representing Seattle for the Summer Tomato Farmer’s Market Update this week! I’ve been an avid reader of Darya’s for well over a year and love her enthusiasm for fresh produce and good food. Luckily, I live in Seattle, where you can find a neighborhood farmer’s market going on nearly every day of the week during the summer months, so I get to indulge in my own veggie voyeurism every week as well.

This Sunday, we headed to the University District Farmer’s Market, the oldest farmer’s market in Seattle (and one that’s been included in Huffington Post’s top 10 list).

Of course, I set out with my handy shopping list–it’s the only way to keep your grocery budget under control.

Blueberries

It hasn’t exactly been a hot couple of months, but the produce certainly looks like summer. The Pacific Northwest has the best berries I’ve ever tasted- blueberries are just barely hanging on, while blackberries are just coming into their own.

Who needs donuts when you have sweet, drippy donut peaches? YUM.

Donut Peaches

These baby carrots are pretty sweet too.

Baby Carrots

You can never have too many big bunches of fresh spinach. Of course, you don’t only have to stick to spinach when you have a variety of greens to choose from.

Greens

Spinach

I’ve been having a major moment with radishes lately. So good in salads and on buttered bread. If you frequent a farmer’s market, you know that green beans don’t always have to be green.

Yellow Wax Beans

Radishes

Of course, you can’t post about Seattle without mentioning salmon. It’s what we’re known for–whether it’s fresh, smoked, or even roe! And it’s freshest (and definitely the best value) when you buy it from fisherman at the farmer’s market.

Smoked Salmon

This week’s haul:

• Fresh and smoked salmon – Loki Fish Co.
• Blueberries – Ernie’s Berries
• Cherry tomatoes – Billy’s Gardens
• Padrona Peppers – Billy’s Gardens
• Donut Peaches – Martin Family Orchards
• Basil – Youa Her & Kaying’s Garden
• Carrots – Alm Hill Gardens
• Green Beans – Alm Hill Gardens
• Radishes – Growing Things
• Spinach – Youa Her & Kaying’s Garden
• Purslane – Stony Plains Organic Farms
• Kale – Stony Plains Organic Farms

Yellow Doll Watermelon

I’m extremely excited to welcome the Spinach Tiger herself, Angela Roberts, who is providing a beautiful visual tour of the Franklin Farmers Market in Nashville.

Angela Roberts  is a faux artist turned food blogger.  As an artist, her food has to look good as well as taste good. She always starts with fresh, local ingredients, combining healthy and hearty, which inspired  the tag line, “food a woman will love and a man will marry her for.”

You can follow her on twitter @spinachtiger or become a fan of Spinach Tiger on Facebook.

Farmers Market Update: Nashville

by Angela Roberts

When Darya offered me an opportunity to talk about our own farmer’s market, I got excited for two reasons. Summer Tomato is one of my favorite blogs, and one of the reasons is her weekly highlight of my all time favorite farmer’s market.

Although I live in the Nashville area, I have visited the Ferry Plaza Farmer’s Market several times. Just like Darya is at the Ferry Plaza every weekend, I can be found every Saturday morning at the Franklin Farmer’s Market, and this might seem a bit odd, but I usually spend a good part of my morning there.

Cherry Tomatoes

Music

The Franklin Farmer’s Market, held in an outdoor pavilion at the Factory in Franklin, has a lot of heart and much to be proud of. We even have music.

Franklin is a small historic town, in cahoots with Nashville, and the market serves all of Williamson County. It’s special for several reasons:

It’s a local only market. All of the meat, herbs and produce come from middle Tennessee. The people selling you the food are the same people growing the food.

It’s dynamic, growing by leaps and bounds, adding new food artisans and farmers every year. In 9 seasons, they have grown from 9 to over 70 vendors.

Watermelon and Tomatoes

Its open year round, and this says a lot about the commitment level of both the farmer’s and the local shoppers. I never knew about muscadine grapes, purple hull peas or yellow doll watermelon. Every week there is something exciting in produce that I’ve never seen before. But, at this time of year, I face the heat to get the season’s best tomatoes.

Heirloom Tomatoes

Green Tomatoes

I love purple foods, not just the health benefits, but the beauty.

Muscadine Grapes

Eggplants

The Produce You Expect to Find: Green Beans, Corn, Squash

Corn

Green Beans

Thai Chilies

Purple Hull Beans, Baby Limas

And, then there are the local food artisans, who seem to work 24 hours a day baking bread, making cheesecakes, jellies, jams, honey.

Local honey can help with seasonal allergies

There is never a Saturday that we don’t buy one of Lucy’s Super Muffins. For those desiring a richer treat, Lucy is known all over town for her cheesecakes. She also sells savory homemade dips and spreads.

My most recent purchases were a chick pea gluten free and yukon potato/truffle oil ravioli.

You can buy excellent quality grass fed meat from local farms, such as West Wind Farms, Bear Creek Farm and Hatcher Family Dairy to name a few.

Hatcher Family Dairy

Alfresco Pasta

I know many of the vendors personally, as I engage with them every week. I have even visited a few of the farms. You might be surprised how open the vendors are to a visit.

Once you meet the goats that bring you Nobel Springs fabulous cheese, you’ll head to market every week to stock up. I am a fan of Hatcher cream and Nobel Springs Goat Farm. I’ve seen first hand how hard they work and the quality of their product.

Nobel Springs Goat Farm

Cooking from the Market

I left the market with a bushel of heirlooms, happily taking home the discarded tomatoes that couldn’t be sold. In two days, I made bruschetta, tomato marmalade and tomato panzanella topped with farm fresh eggs. I also made homemade pasta.

Fresh Pasta

Fresh Eggs

The farmers have had challenges this year with the May flood and then the severe heat. Yet they have managed to do their best and bring food made with care. There are many organic farmers and many farmers who aren’t certified organic but heed exceptional farming practices to bring you the best tasting, healthy food. I am proud to honor them here at Summer Tomato.

Purchases:

• Eggplant from Rocky Glade Farm, Eagleville
• Carrots from Beaverdam Creek Farm, Centerville
• Green Beans from Kirkview Farm, College Grove
• Poblano and Serrano Peppers from Triple Springs Organic Produce
• Heirloom Tomatoes, Yellow Doll Watermelon from Rainbow Hill Farm, McMinnville
• Fresh Eggs – Gardner Grove, Lewisburg
• Chevre Goat Cheese from Noble Springs Dairy, Franklin
• Cream, Hatcher Dairy Farm, College Grove
• Super Muffins from Lucy’s Kitchen
• Purple Hull Peas from See Sun Vu Farms, Toone
• Corn on the Cob from Delvin Farms, College Grove

If you’d like to share your local farmers market with Summer Tomato readers, use the contact form to drop me an email.

Lapin & Hedlefingen Cherries

My friend E began her healthstyle upgrade at the beginning of 2010, and has shared her journey with Summer Tomato readers in the past. Today she kindly agreed to share her farmers market as well.

E. Foley is a geek girl extraordinaire. She writes amazing online dating profiles for geeks and non-geeks, helping clients all over the world find love. Her writing can be found at Examiner.com, Dating Sites Reviews, and elsewhere as a ghostwriter. By day, she is the Copywriter at ThinkGeek.

Follow her @geeksdreamgirl on Twitter.

Dating profiles for geeks =http://geeksdreamgirl.com

Farmers Market Update: Maryland

by E. Foley

I don’t know about you, but I’m sick and tired of Darya’s constant Californicating. Those of us on the best (aka East) coast of the U.S. appreciate our farmers markets on a far deeper level because we only get them from May through November. Such is the case in my home state of Maryland.

(Really, I love Darya and the Californicating actually helps me plan for things coming into season over here.)

Maters

Summer Veggies

I’ve been working with Darya on my healthstyle since the beginning of 2010 and am proud to report I’ve lost about 20 pounds without ever feeling deprived. In fact, I feel like I eat way tastier things now. I’m still having the occasional cookie or bacon cheeseburger, but on the whole, my healthstyle is much improved as a result of having her coaching me.

My boyfriend and I have visited all the farmers markets in a 20 mile radius and we’ve decided to call the Olney Farmers and Artists Market home. Out of all the markets we visited, this one seemed to have the best mix of vendors. These pictures are from my trip on Sunday, June 13th.

Kohlrabi

Fresh Corn

One of the common things I’ve heard from the farmers is that the unseasonably hot weather lately has pushed the growing season up a bit. Last week, I tried two new-to-me things: garlic scapes and saskatoon berries. With the garlic scapes, I made a delicious (albeit really strong!) pesto. I also threw them into pretty much everything we cooked last week. Saskatoon berries taste like a cross between a blueberry and a sweet apple. They were great in pancakes as well as a spread I made by blending them with local chevre.

This week, neither scapes nor saskatoons were available. Asparagus, another spring favorite of mine, has also disappeared. Since we have absolutely fabulous local goat cheese from Cherry Glen Farm, I was making lots of Asparagus & Goat Cheese Quesadillas. (Feel free to throw garlic scapes in there if you still have them!)

Red Onions

Flowers

But summer is moving in quickly! Last week’s strawberries are being pushed out by blueberries, cherries, raspberries, and blackberries. I’m getting over mono, so I can’t drink alcohol quite yet, but I’m sensing a blackberry mojito in my future.

Mojito Time!

Blackberries

My one beef with this market is that some of the farmers don’t put up signs to identify what farm they’re from and me being me, I forget to ask. The list below is labeled as best as I could!

Purple Kohlrabi

Purchases:

• Organic Spring Mix (Sligo Creek Farm)
• Cherries (Falcon Ridge Farm)
• Eggs (Fox Hollow Farm)
• Green Bell Peppers (Penn Farm)
• Cucumbers (Penn Farm)
• Purple Kohlrabi
• Shelled Peas
• Pattypan Squash
• Beets (with the most BEAUTIFUL GREENS!!)

I have a question for you Summer Tomato fans. What’s your favorite thing to do with kohlrabi?