How to Make the Most of the Farmers’ Market
Courtesy of @arielokin
Whether you’re dreaming of August’s juicy beefsteak tomatoes, or the green leafy buds of summer basil, using locally-sourced produce is the best way to tap into the season – but the farmers’ market can be overwhelming to navigate. Here, chefs, editors and farmers weigh in on how to find the freshest fruits and become an accomplished locavore no matter the season.
Try Vegetables You Might Otherwise Avoid
At Long Season Farm in upstate New York, farmers directly connect eating locally to eating seasonally. “For us, the importance of eating locally year round really is all about connection; building, tying together, and supporting the broader community,” says Erin Enouen, owner of Long Season Farm in Kerhonkson, NY.
“When a customer tells me in July that they don't like kale, I tell them to try it in December. The knowledge of how the seasons determine what is in season not only brings the joy of good flavor, but connects us all to our local seasonal patterns and heightens our awareness of the environment, weather patterns, and changes that affect us,” says Enouen.
Become a Regular
If you’re finding it overwhelming to break into the farmer’s market and get to know your local purveyors, befriend a farmer. “The best thing you can do for a farmer is not just to buy from them, but to come back and buy again–kind of like being a regular at a restaurant,” says Julia Turshen, bestselling author of the bestselling Small Victories and Now & Again.
“The more I've gotten to know the people who grow the food I buy and cook, the more ingredients I've been introduced to and the more appreciation I have for the work that goes into bringing them,” Turshen adds.
Get Specific
Bon Appetit associate web editor Alex Delany suggests relying on different farmers for their specialties. “I have my garlic guy. I have my mushroom lady. I have my chard person. I think of it like furnishing a home. I wouldn't buy my couch and my cutlery at the same vendor. Same goes for my blackberries and my ramps,” he says.
Take Your Time
To avoid becoming overwhelmed by all the choices, Turshen recommends “a full lap of the market—usually with a coffee in hand!—before buying anything, to see how everything looks and who has what. Then I go back around and shop. This keeps me from having market #FOMO since I already know what each farmer is offering.”
Carla Lalli Music, Food Director at Bon Appétit and author of Where Cooking Begins, agrees. “In peak growing seasons, I like to walk the market once without buying anything, but tasting along the way, and then double back to make purchases. It's like doing a clean read before editing. I'm halfway successful at this—sometimes I end up buying sugar snap peas from three different purveyors because I have no willpower and I like to support more than one seller.”
Track the Season
Another great habit, says Lalli Music, “is to walk through the market even on days when you don't intend to buy anything. For example, when I'm near Union Square, I'll do a loop just to see what's coming up and what's on the way out. You will start to get a sense of how the seasons unfold and how ingredients change from the early to late growing season. I'll notice that purveyors south of us, in Jersey or Pennsylvania, will be early to market with stone fruit and berries, and then as their season dwindles, the wave moves north, and when it's waning for the Connecticut growers, you know it's really over.”
Stay Connected
“Most farmers enjoy talking produce, and are happy to tell you what's in season, what is around the corner, and even how they like to cook those things. Most will also tell how the current season is impacting what they have at any given market,” says Enouen. “Markets can be busy though, and some farmers might not have the time to have an in-depth conversation each week. However, many farms, including ours, do a weekly email that lists to market customers what will be available that week and include a few ideas for recipes that week. Simply ask if you can sign up. Some farms are also on social media—we are on Instagram @longseasonfarm, and use it as a tool to give customers a window into their farm and growing methods.”
An even deeper way to connect with a farmer is to join their farm as a member of their Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, suggests Enouen. “This is more of a commitment. We offer a seasonal CSA with two sizes and feel so connected and grateful to our members. We send an email ahead of each distribution filled with a short farm journal entry, a list of produce, a description of the season, and lots of recipe ideas (here's an example). Our members are now New York State seasonal local food experts that ask us in-depth questions about our farm and lives, and it's really incredible. They tell us that they feel joyful when they get their produce and many have said they feel healthier too.”
Go to the Roots
Yemi Amu of Oko Farms suggests to start educating yourself by finding out about community gardens in your neighborhood and visiting them. “Community gardens are a great way to interact with your neighbors who care about food, the environment and community engagement,” Amu says. “You'll also find an incredible variety of fruits and vegetables that reflect the ethnic background of members of the community garden.”
Another great way is to visit local farms in your community. “Oko Farms is open for tours and workshops from April to November. East New York Farms, The Youth Farm in Crown Heights, and Eagle Street Rooftop Farm are also great New York City based farms to visit!”
* A version of this article written by Ariel originally appeared on Vogue.com in March 2018.