Helpful Tips

Summer time rolls around, your local farmer's market can be a fantastic source of fresh fruits and veggies - this you know. But you might not know how to maximize your experience there - like how to get the freshest produce. Here are some helpful tips to follow.

1. Go for the items you can't get in the store. You love your gala apples, but have you sunk your teeth into an Arkansas Black or Harrelson apple? Farmer's markets can be one taste adventure after the next, if you're willing to open yourself up to something new.

2. Ask when it was picked. Why? According as what I've read "The sugars in foods like peas and corn turn to starch quickly after picking, so be sure you know when they came out of the fields.”Some vendors pick fresh in the morning, while others pick the night before because they have to drive two or three hours to set up for a 7 or 8 am market. Beware of anything older."

3. Take cash and a reusable shopping bag or shopping cart. Most vendors won't take your credit or debit card. And reusable shopping bags, while not a must, are just nicer to the environment.