Getting Personal

     Chances are there's a farmers' market near you.  But the chances of that are even better if you live in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area.  They have more than 50 markets selling local produce, baked goods, flowers and meat & fish 7 days a week.  I had the good fortune to take in the flagship farmers' market in St. Paul one Saturday.  It's located in Lowertown in a dedicated covered space at 5th and Wall Streets.

 

     It is quite literally a cornicopia of color as local agrarians display red heirloom tomatoes, white candy onions, purple potatoes, yellow marigolds and green lettuce for sale.  An agricultural bonanza awaits those who stop by on weekends throughout the growing season.  In addition, other locally sourced items are also available, like honey, soap, flavored olive oils, baked goods, cheese and herbs.  Freshly butchered meats are also for sale as is farm raised trout.

 

     Everyone is the winner at the farmers' market.  It brings us back from the global village and roots us in our own village.  It makes the shopping experience personal.  There we get to know who grew our food, to talk and to sample the best of the land and lake.  I stopped to chat with several merchant farmers about what they had for sale that day.  Never having heard of lunchbox sweet peppers I was encouraged to try one and found them to be something new and tasty.  Likewise the cherry tomatoes were bursting with flavor when I popped one in my mouth.  The woman behind the table mentioned that they were just coming into full season due to a late start because of a May snowfall.  Really?

 

     And if all the fruit, produce and flowers weren't enough to attract customers, they even had a live band performing in the center of the market.  When was the last time you heard someone playing a musical saw?