My First Trip to the Farmers Market
I just visited my local farmers market for the first time, and I can't wait to write down all my thoughts. This was the jumping off point for my wellbeing journey. It's actually not at all what I was expecting. It was halfway between a quaint country road stand and a Black Friday sale. Somehow, though, it was a happy, calm place to be, and way friendlier than my supermarket.
Shopping at the Farmers Market
It took me a minute to figure out where to start. The farmer's market where I shopped wasn't in neat rows like the supermarket. It was a bit of a circle with a few booths in the middle.
People just went where they wanted to go. Some people seemed to start at one end and went up and down, perusing what each table had, and then bought what they wanted. Others seemed to make a beeline right to the table(s) they wanted. Others just seemed to be completely random. Taking cues from others wasn't going to work for me. I just needed to figure out what my own thing was.
Finding My Feet
I was too intimidated to go to the first table. It was pretty busy - a veggie table - and I didn't feel ready for it. So I went up to a quiet table farther down. It had baked goods and jars of jams and pickles. The seller smiled at me and I looked around. I didn't really need any of those things, but I felt bad for spending all that time at the table, so I got a bag of cranberry biscuits...which I don't regret one bit!
OK. So that's how it's done. I'd now officially shopped at a farmers market. I was in. I was a farmers market shopper. Look at all those new people arriving! They're not experienced like me! I'm a farmers market shopper! Don't worry, new people. You'll figure it out!
New Discoveries
I made it to another baker's stall and couldn't resist getting a pumpkin muffin with cream cheese drizzle. Then I looked at the tote I'd brought with me and, though I'd come for lots of fresh local veggies and fruits, it contained biscuits and a muffin! Hmm, so going to a farmer's market doesn't automatically mean I'm going to be healthy. It was time to make some adult decisions for my wellbeing journey.
From there, I started to go to the veggie sellers. They were just as nice as the bakers. I picked up not just a tomato, but an heirloom tomato. I'm looking forward to finding out if they look any different other than it being slightly weird and lumpy looking (which I don't have a problem with). I got a bag of onions because I plan to use my slow cooker at some point and that seems like something I'll want to have on hand. They're such cute little perfect onions, I'm happy to have them in my kitchen. I dug out a little basket just for them because it's so nice to display them.
Before I was done shopping, I also got some green and yellow wax beans, a little basket of nectarines (which were so expensive but by the time I found out how much they were, I was too embarrassed to put them back) and this amazing looking squash called a carnival squash. How fun is that? I'd never heard of it, but it's so beautiful! The farmer told me all about it because I asked. She said it was just like an acorn squash only milder and better. I've never cooked either before, but I got up the nerve to ask, and she told me!
My Farmers Market Gem: Carnival Squash
What can I do with a carnival squash, according to the farmer who grew it? Pretty much anything I wanted. I could cook it the same way as I'd cook an acorn squash (which I've never done), or just let my imagination guide me. She listed a ton of things, and I remember only some of them. Here are the ones that I do remember:
cut it in half, scoop out the "guts" and seeds, and bake on a cookie sheet (adding butter, herbs like thyme and/or sage and/or even maple syrup if I want into the "bowl" of the squash, and basting)
cut in half, scoop out the "guts" and stuff with a mix of rice and veg, sausage and veg, couscous and veg, or whatever I want...plus cheese!
scoop out the "guts" and seeds and cut off the outside. Cube the meat of the squash and cook it the same way as you'd cook sweet potatoes
scoop out the "guts" and seeds and cut off the outside, use a spiralizer to make noodles
clean up the seeds and bake them with salt for a great snack
Wow, right!
