eat more locally grown food

Recently we got tomatoes, potatoes, squash. They were all wonderful! We also tried a local cheese maker. We purchased three different kinds. I can hardly wait for next Saturday to go buy more!

Last week a friend gardening in the spot next to mine gave me a whole grocery-bag full of fresh spinach, because it was ripe and he had too much to use himself. It was the best spinach I’d ever tasted! It was sweet and mildly flavorful. I ate half sauteed with bacon and onions, and half in an omelette, shared with my children. They loved it too.

Now I have planted an entire bed in spinach. It’s under a bean trellis, so hopefully that shade will help it grow even in summertime. I would be so proud to produce delicious spinach like that!

The vegetable patch has spread and now includes plenty of things on my patio too.

Also in the hamlet next to our village there’s a few farms. One sells directly to the village shop and I bought some very local watercress at the weekend. I know it’s travelled less than 1 mile. That’s pretty local.

at a farmer’s market in the city

is that I’m forced to find new recipes for veggies we don’t ordinarily eat. I actually like this, though the prep can take some time. Now if only everyone would eat it … !

In New York specifically Union Square, there is a Farmers Market on Saturday and Wednesday. I was recently there for 2 Saturdays and 1 Wednesday.

We loaded up on all the produce and bread, cheese, fruit, meat that we could use in between market days. Most of these products are made a short trip away in northern New York.

Great food! Good prices! Wonderful for the environment! All in the middle of New York City. Who knew?!

In the past two weeks I have been to four farmers’ markets. I have bought ornamental garden plants, vegetable starts, produce, and an apron.

I’m seeing a lot of the same faces over and over. I’m starting to see that there is a real community which revolves around these markets. I’m glad to be getting involved.

Yesterday we got our first pickup from our CSA farm – lettuce, spinach, beets, green onions and strawberries! I had to work yesterday, but my husband and daughter went, and also had a great time picking those berries.

The day before I purchased free-range chicken eggs from a woman who’s raising them. It was great – the eggs were all different shapes and sizes, some even freckled. Can’t wait to eat them!

A week ago we had our first Farmer’s Market of the season here in Bremerton, at Evergreen Park. I went, and enjoyed seeing all the handsome policemen in their fancy uniforms, and listening to the navy band play. There were a dozen or more different tents selling plants, jewelry, homemade soda pop, hamburgers, vegetables and crafts of all kinds.

I bought some lovely rhubarb, wonderful homemade soap, a spiderwort plant (which will grow in my shady garden), and some cherry pop for me and my kids.

I look forward to attending future markets. I hope to buy more herbs and flowers to plant, and I’d really like to get eggs from homegrown chickens too!

I guess I can’t get any more local than my own garden. That is if I’m successful.