1. Arrive early. Or arrive late. At the CNY Regional Market in Syracuse, this means up and at 'em bright and early on Saturdays for a 7 a.m. shopping spree. This is when the fish monger has his best and brightest selections available. And you'll appreciate the emptier aisles. On the flip side, there are advantages to shopping later, too. The selection might not be the best, but some vendors discount their goods as closing time approaches so they don't have to cart everything away.
3. Bring a re-usable shopping bag and a cooler filled with ice or ice packs. On warm summer days, this allows worry-free purchases of items like yogurt, cheese and fish/seafood.
5. Don't haggle - this is not an auction or yard sale. Farmers work hard to grow the food we eat -- and make a living wage. A quart of strawberries for $4 and three zucchini for $1 is already a good deal. Pony up and pay the price on the sign!
6. Don't thump the melons, don't squeeze the tomatoes and peaches and don't peel back the husk on every ear of corn. Want a melon that's ready to eat today -- or one that will be ready on the weekend? Ask the farmer/vendor. They know their produce well.
7. Purchase things other than produce, if your budget allows. Markets in Central New York cast a wide net for local producers and vendors with a wide range of items. You'll find eggs, cheeses, yogurt, breads, bagels, baklava, cookies, coffee, shortbread and other baked goods, pasta, granola, hummus, honey, meat, maple syrup, jams, jellies, spices, sauces, salsa, chocolate, peanut brittle -- I'm getting hungry! The list goes on and on and on.
8. Keep your eyes open for new offerings from "old favorite" vendors. At the Fayetteville Farmers Market, for example, the owners of Lune Chocolat are offering homemade gourmet fruit and ultimate chocolate popsicles in addition to their signature artisan chocolates. And Tina Conte McPherson, creator of Primo and Mary's salsa, is offering fresh basil-garlic pesto and fresh bruschetta at the Fayetteville Farmers Market and the Farmers Market at Cottage Lawn at the Madison County Historical Society (Oneida) each week. She started growing hydroponic basil this winter and plans to incorporate fresh produce from both markets as the growing season progresses.
9. Mix up your market day and markets on occasion! Every market has its own vibe and local flavor. Feel like a drive on a Saturday? Grab your market bag and head out to the Cazenovia Farmers Market or the Skaneateles Farmers Market. Can't make it to the Saturday Regional Market? Don't forget there's also a Thursday version through November. On Erie Boulevard on a Wednesday afternoon? Check out the Farmshed Harvest Food Hub Farmers Market at Natur-Tyme in DeWitt.
10. Know your farmer, know your food … and try something NEW! Never had kale? Kohlrabi? Garlic scapes? Spaghetti squash? Bison meat? Be adventurous! Ask the grower or vendor for advice on how to store, prepare and cook what they're selling.
Hi Margaret,
This is a great list of tips! I've found the same things to be true as I'm making the rounds of farmers markets a little further east. We're so blessed to have so many interesting vendors in central New York. It's great fun talking to them. I tried some Hakurei turnips the other day. They're pretty much like radishes.
Posted by: Sue Romero | 06/29/2015 at 10:15 AM