The market is a great place to find seasonal color for yard or table with pumpkins, winter squashes, and colorful seasonal plants like pansies, violas, and edible Swiss chard and kales. Apples probably won’t be found anymore. However, persimmons are in their prime right now. This far south, persimmons benefit from a time in the freezer to develop their sweetness. Further north this happens with the first freeze while the fruit is still on the tree. In North Texas, we have to fake an October freeze by putting the fruit into the freezer, then thaw and scoop out the sweet fruit.
The season crossover time continues. Tomatoes, cucumbers, summer squashes, okra, eggplant, red potatoes, water radishes, onions and peppers, fall and winter squashes, beets, turnips, rainbow carrots, and sweet potatoes are abundant. Greens might include bok choy, sweet potato greens, fall salad mix, watercress, sorrel, Swiss chard, arugula, sprouts, mizuna, and spinaches. Many fresh herbs and dried seasonings are available. Kohlrabi is an interesting find and kids would find the appearance intriguing, perhaps enough to give a taste test a try. Chef Mark Bittman in How to Cook Everything suggests treating this bizarre looking vegetable like a turnip and notes that all parts are edible.
A wide variety of baked goods, some gluten free, vary weekly. Artisan dairy products, honey, small batch prepared foods, pasta, food mixes, whole grains, coffee, tamales, olive oil, vinegar, popsicles, and fresh squeezed lemonade round out the edible offerings. Every week new items show up throughout the market. Last week seasonal, prepared soups like a roasted red pepper, pumpkin lemonade, and Halloween cookies were found. Crafted lotions, soaps, candles, lip balm, and fresh baked doggie biscuits are also sold.
Our farmers use various growing methods. To clarify, our website now notes their growing methods on each farmer’s description page. Look for Certified Organic, Sustainably Grown, or Conventional growing methods noted at the end of their descriptions.
———————————————————
We are a local, seasonal farmers market, meaning that our farmers bring only what is ripening in their fields this week and some produce is short lived due to a short growing season.
Eating with the seasons takes education, awareness and patience!
For a chart of produce that is in season now, click here.