Do the farmers market experiment

Last night for dinner we had fresh asparagus. I can't believe I'm saying this but the asparagus was melt in your mouth heavenly! As a kid growing up in Colorado, we would go pick wild asparagus from the lake bank over by my grandpa's house. I hated asparagus- loved picking it- hated eating it. It's amazing what your taste buds do as you get older. Thinking asparagus is heavenly would have been like thinking going to the dentist was a treat. Things sure have changed!

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Last night's asparagus came from our local farmers market. May is a month to celebrate the return of our farmers markets and farmers. The local honey, fresh baked bread, beautiful bouquets of flowers, fresh picked in the morning veggies: pea vines, mustard greens, tender baby broccoli, red leaf lettuce, mustard greens, baby garlic, onions, asparagus . So much local abundance waiting to come home for dinner.

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This summer I invite you to do a little experiment. Spend some time at a normal grocery store or discount store. Just listen, smell, look and notice- what do you see and how do you feel? What are your fellow shoppers doing? Now go directly to your local farmers market and conduct the same research. I think you will be amazed at the differences.

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When I did this experiment, I spent a morning at the farmers market as a volunteer, afterwords I had to stop by a discount store and pick up something. My senses were shocked. Inside the store I found shinny floors, clanking carts, florescent lights, advertisements and folks looking a bit sad and lost. In contrast, the morning at the farmers market, I had been surrounded by flowers, popcorn popping, families strolling and laughing, sunshine, fresh air, fresh food, local growers visiting with customers and lots of contented, happy looking faces.

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It was truly an ah ha moment. This spring, summer and fall go shopping and support our local markets. You will be helping local farmers and in return you will get a slice of life. If you are not sure when or where to find these markets not to worry, I found this little web site with all the details. It will also give you the local harvest schedule. http://www.pugetsoundfresh.org/.

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I can't say as a kid this asparagus would have been better than the wild we cut, learning to love fresh asparagus just takes time, but I'm sure I would have enjoyed shopping at the farmers market more than the grocery store.

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Happy fresh and local shopping,

Denise