Finding Your Way at the Farmers Market

Can you believe that we’ve been selling at farmers markets for almost thirty years?

In all that time we’ve met so many wonderful folks from all over who have come to shop with us and over the years we’ve come up with a set of tips and tricks that are helpful for newcomers to farmers markets and devotees alike when it comes to eating and shopping seasonally.  

But before we jump in we wanted to sing the praises of farmers markets in general – and why we’ve been a part of them for so long! Farmers markets are the absolute best way to get your hands on locally grown food, picked at the peak of freshness while supporting your local farmers and not just your local supermarket. They’re also a fantastic way to try new-to-you foods that you might not otherwise find and we’re more than happy – and excited – to give recommendations and cooking suggestions.

Speaking of suggestions, here are some of ours for shopping at farmers markets:

• Shop online first and pre-order for farmers market pick up! We sell out of items quickly and can’t guarantee that everything will be at the market each weekend, especially when it comes to meat. Pre-ordering means you’ll reserve your picks ahead of time to avoid disappointment.
• Please understand our pricing. Unfortunately, we aren’t a big box store and that means we can’t produce food at the same volume that they can. As a smaller organic operation we also don’t (and can’t) cut any corners in our practices. All of that means our costs are higher than what you’ll find at the supermarket but we know that it’s worth it for the freshness and quality of our produce and meat.
• Ask us when the produce was picked. We’ll point you in the direction of what’s the most fresh on offer that day and if something is sold out, we’ll let you know when it’ll be picked next and available for purchase.
• Don’t have your heart set on a specific variety of produce. Every farmer grows different varieties and if you let us know what you’re looking for we can suggest something comparable for you to try.
• This might sound a little silly, but please don’t squeeze the tomatoes! They bruise and puncture quite easily and ripeness can be determined by observing their color shading. When in doubt you can ask us to pick some ripe ones out for you but we often suggest purchasing tomatoes that are almost ready to eat so they’ll last the week.
• And of course, if you have any other questions, please ask!

You can find us at the following farmers market locations currently:

SATURDAYS: Lexington Farmers Market 8am-2pm, Georgetown/Scott County Farmers Market 9am-1pm

SUNDAYS: Hyde Park Farmers Market 10am-1pm, Lexington Farmers Market 10am-2pm