Saturdays are for the market

Every Friday, I find myself doing a quick inventory of our fresh fruits and veggies to prepare for our Saturday morning outings to the Linton Farmers Market.

Cici and I had made it our weekly outing together during the summer and this year we’ve added her sisters to our little weekly tradition. Checking out all the fresh produce has been a great learning experience for both of us.

Last year, we set a goal of picking out one new item each week to try. We made some good progress at the beginning of last summer, with some wins and losses for our family’s taste buds.

One thing we tried but couldn’t quite handle was the rainbow chard. Cici sneered at the word chard but we all still tried it. I never could get the texture just right for us.

A huge win was asparagus. My whole family loves asparagus now. I fix it several times a week and if you come to my house while I’m cooking it, you’re not leaving without trying a bite!

Granted, my magic ingredient is chicken bouillon so it’s got a kick of sodium but green veggies are always healthy, right? I won’t debate this!

Cici has started asking for healthy snacks, which usually consists of cucumber or a fruit we picked up at the market.

Don’t get me wrong, while we spend a lot of time focusing on the healthy options, the market also has some sweet treats — specifically the honey sticks at the Spurlins booth. That’s usually our first stop.

After we gather up the week’s produce, we always have to stop and see Kali at Harvest Moon Designs. She has spurred an interest in “rocks.” I use quotes because her items consist of a lot of beautiful crystals but Cici said they go in her rock collection.

We were lucky enough to participate in the Greene County Food as Medicine Program through Healthy Starts this year. We went to the market each weekend to watch the cooking demonstration and then got to take home locally sourced items to cook the meals at home with detailed instructions.

A little birdie told me they may be looking to continue the program but need some support. Check out their Facebook page if you can. We benefited greatly from this program. As a mom to two new babies, this cut out the mental load of planning at least one meal a week and I didn’t even have to go to the store.

Even with school around the corner and summer winding down, there’s still plenty of time to get to the market on Saturday from 9-1. They’re open through mid-September. I hope to see you at the market!