Your Guide to Summer Farmer's Markets (Produce Picks for each month)
Summer is the best time to visit a farmer's market to make the most of freshly grown local food. With an abundance of soft fruits, the smells of berries and peaches will tempt you into stocking up on healthy, vitamin-rich food. Just-picked vegetables are an inspiration to eating more plant-based products. So, where can you find the best food to make the most of the summer harvest?
Why Farmer's Markets are Important
Farmer's Markets are vital! They connect the local food producer to the consumer and are hot on provenance. Usually, the food comes from within a 20-30-mile radius of the market so it cuts down on food miles and greenhouse gases.
Markets are great for promoting the local area, encouraging people to try fresh food and taste something a little different.
You may be wondering: are farmer's markets cheaper? Well, to put it simply, the quality is a lot better and sometimes you'll find that it can work out to be more cost-effective.
You'll discover all kinds of seasonal specialties and inspiration just from visiting a farmer's market, and usually, you can speak directly to the farmer.
Also, taking children to a farmer's market is an excellent way to get them interested in where food comes from (and they’ll love to explore and taste test!)
What to Bring to a Farmers Market
First, bring bags to carry your items home. In fact, bring a couple of extra bags because it will inspire you to cook, eat and buy the high-quality food on offer! You'll be dreaming up all kinds of dishes when you see and smell the produce on display. You should also bring water to stay hydrated since you’ll be outside walking around in the heat. True Citrus has a variety of refreshing drink mix flavors to add to your water to help you get your water down.
Hand wipes are also great for wiping your hands before eating, cleaning yourself after eating something sticky, and keeping cool in markets. Make sure you also bring some cash - most farmers have a card system but cash is also useful for those small purchases. Believe me, the food is so good that you will not be going home empty-handed!
Seasonal produce
The summer months are some of the best ones to visit a farmer's market. Many of these markets in the USA operate from May to October where you'll see summer produce in season, but there are lots of year-round ones too. You will find a fresh produce market near me or within easy reach of a major city in the summer months. Here's where to find summer produce in season, depending on when and where you go.
June
June is the time to find soft fruits grown in the USA such as strawberries and raspberries, and you'll notice the difference in smell from the fruit; something you don't get with a lot of imported berries. June is a month when you can buy local honey and maple syrup as they start to be sold again. They are vitamin-rich and significantly healthier than mass-produced food. Markets also start filling with heirloom vegetables such as early carrots full of beta carotene, especially the purple varieties.
July
Homegrown tomatoes and salads peak out in July. You'll notice the difference between an imported or mass-produced tomato compared to a locally grown one. You'll also find varieties that are more traditional and are bursting with flavor. It's a good idea to plan ahead by bottling, freezing, or drying some of the tomatoes and soft fruits on sale for the winter months ahead. Through the summer months, you'll also see stalls selling locally farmed beef, pork and chicken using traditional farming methods instead of factory farm-style production.
August
August is another peak month for vegetables, salads, fruit with more color, and typical summer foods. Look out for sweetcorn, salad vegetables, beans, peas, and the start of the apple season. Blueberries start to appear, and you'll see and taste the difference in them compared to mass-produced varieties. There are also beets, potatoes, and greens all in season at this time of year.
September
In September, expect to see lots of plum varieties in farmer's markets across the country. Typically, older and traditional varieties of plums and apples appear in the markets and are a world of difference from intensively farmed products. It's also a good time for vegetables including squashes, pumpkins, and root vegetable varieties.
Where are the Farmer's Markets?
You'll find a farmer's market in most towns and cities across the USA. Some are so good that top chefs visit them for inspiration! Some of the best include Green City Farm in Chicago, Ferry Plaza Farmers Market in San Francisco and Boulder County Farmers Market in Colorado. Madison, Wisconsin has the largest farmers' market in the USA with 130-150 sellers. It has world-class cheeses and is an excellent place for sampling.
If you are visiting the coastal areas, some markets allow fresh seafood such as Hope Street farmers' Market, Providence, Rhode Island, or Lexington, Massachusetts. Are you asking where there is a farmer's market near me? Check out the USA guide here.
If you are planning on checking out your local farmer's market, be prepared to buy more than you think. The food is so fresh and tempting that it will have you inspired to cook delicious dishes and make the very most of the summer months!
