10 Farmer's Market Rules To Swear By

Photo by: Zach DeSart

By Andrew Knowlton, Bon Appétit

Dear Foodist: Farmers' markets in August can be as crazy as a mall before Christmas. What are your rules to shop by?

Now that just about every town boasts a market, it's a good time to clarify some guidelines:

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• Don't Hassle The Farmer About Price

  Yes, eggs, milk, and produce are more expensive than at the supermarket. But where else can you get just-laid eggs with bright-orange yolks, milk capped with cream, and vegetables that go beyond garden variety? What's more, the taste is exponentially better. So don't hassle the farmer about price. <em>Photo via Flickr user <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/merydith/5411535896/" target="_hplink">Will Merydith</a></em>

• Don't Squeeze!

  We all want beautiful corn, tomatoes, and peaches, but that doesn't give you the right to shuck, squeeze, and poke every single one in search of perfection. <em>Photo via Flickr user <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tabor-roeder/5995926519/" target="_hplink">Phil Roeder</a></em>

• Bring Reusable Bags

  When it comes to plastic, let me just say: Bring your own %*!)@ bags. <em>Photo via Flickr user <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/caitlinator/3712769731/" target="_hplink">Caitlinator</a></em>

• Pets?

  Leave the dog at home. <em>Photo via Flickr user <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/evanblaser/5573908825/" target="_hplink">eblaser</a></em>

• Special Requests

  Unless it grows in your region, don't expect to find it at your local market. Of course, if you live in California, you can ask for anything... <em>Photo via Flickr user <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/clayirving/2704634774/" target="_hplink">clayirving</a></em>

• Experiment!

  Each visit, buy one ingredient you're unfamiliar with -- perhaps garlic scapes, fava beans, or pattypan squash. It'll make you a better cook. <em>Photo via Flickr user <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/bhamsandwich/4598527369/" target="_hplink">bhamsandwich</a></em>

• Timing

  To shop like a chef, go right when the market opens. You'll have your pick of produce. Bargain hunters go 30 minutes before closing, when many stands offer discounts. <em>Photo via Flickr user <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ncindc/2773664173/" target="_hplink">NCinDC</a></em>

• Free Samples

  I love free tastes of peaches, too, but they're samples, not meals. Leave some for others.

• Explore!

  If you're new to a market, walk around before buying: You might find a better selection a few booths away. After you've shopped there a few times, get to know your farmers: Not only will you get cooking advice, you'll feel more connected to your food. <em>Photo via Flickr user <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/edsel_/5768004075/" target="_hplink">Edsel L</a></em>

• Payment

  Want to be a farmer's best friend? Bring small bills and change. <em>Photo via Flickr user <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jmsmith000/3466349463/" target="_hplink">JSmith Photo</a></em>

More from Bon Appétit:
10 Snacks You Thought Were Healthy But Really Aren't
10 Quick and Easy School-Night Dinners
25 One-Bite Appetizers
Junk Food Makeover: Healthier Chicken Nuggets

 

Follow Bon Appetit on Twitter: www.twitter.com/@bonappetit

Comments

[ButchersBunches]

04:51 PM on 08/01/2012

Good ideas to go by... Families and large groups: You are not at Sam's Club or Costco.. Please be polite when eating samples....

[marc344521]

03:33 PM on 08/01/2012

Famers Mkts popped up all over DC. I love the idea, but prices are very inflated. I go just for the walk and maybe to buy a small item. But I could never afford to buy much there. The organic, family-run (ie not whole foods) shop in my 'hood has great prices and a lot is local.

[toserve1]

01:17 PM on 08/01/2012

Common sense. Common courtesy. Common article.

[TheLadyOphelia]

01:02 PM on 08/01/2012

I would always ask the grower if it was ok to shuck a bit of corn. Otherwise I've not been disappointed buying corn sight unseen!

And squeezing is just a gross "no-no". Who, whether at a Farmer's Market or grocery store, wants something that's pretty much been turned to mush by constant rought handling. Tomatos can be gently held and softness and ripeness can be easily gaged. I do that with my home grown vegtables.

I'd also add to the list a few more: Bring your best manners! Farmer's Markets (at least ours) are generally very crowded and there will be some people who think rudeness or thoughtlessness are virtures.

Add Patience to that list and think of your visit as a fun adventure. It always is for me!

[heywould j]

12:58 PM on 08/01/2012

leave the dog at home? phu-leez.

the dogs are hurting no one, add wonderful character to the market, offer great companionship, and love the outing.

i'd rather have the dogs than the author's entitled attitude toward companion animals.

[Viper1st]

01:23 PM on 08/01/2012

Even farm dogs are banded from attending Farm Auctions for behavior problems

[heywould j]

02:53 PM on 08/01/2012

anyone would agree - farm auctions are fraught with behavior problems.

[TankGirlz]

01:41 PM on 08/01/2012

Companion animals are very different, they are performing a needed service. I have two dogs, they are my kids, however, I know enough to know they can go to the bathroom wherever, they shed and hair blows everywhere (and they are short haired) some people fear dogs, and they have no place at a food shopping environment. Farmer's markets are often crowded....It's common courtesy to know where and when your dogs should and shouldn't be.

[heywould j]

02:54 PM on 08/01/2012

your confusing companion animals and service animals.  but your confusion is no surprise.

[heywould j]

08:30 PM on 08/01/2012

sounds like your dogs don't belong around other people. that certainly applies to you, but it doesn't apply to everyone else just because of your poor training.
thanks for ruining for others.

[DaniFoxy]

12:56 PM on 08/01/2012

I like fresh locally grown produce... and some of the "farmers" are worth the drive.

[RRonin]

12:50 PM on 08/01/2012

Don't buy from the first vendor you come to (unless they are a favorite vendor). Shop all the vendors for the best buy.

[OkieIntellectual]

12:50 PM on 08/01/2012

Thanks but no thanks. I'll buy my food from the supermarket where at least I know there is some regulation dictating how it is grown and processed. When you buy from a farmer's market, you have no idea how that product was grown, what was used to fertilize it, how it was handled and stored, etc.

[marc344521]

03:30 PM on 08/01/2012

Where u know ther is some regulation?? What a laugh. The food in the supermkts is covered with all sorts of chemicals, not to mention GMO'd and full of hormones, etc. A lot of good those regulations do. The FDA is damn near criminal.

[TankGirlz]

04:51 PM on 08/01/2012

You have not read the other article have you?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/31/foodborne-illness-outbreaks_n_1723366.html

[Karl Hildebrand]

12:40 PM on 08/01/2012

And either leave the double wide strollers at home, or don't bring your kids.

[mlaiuppa]

12:22 AM on 08/02/2012

And police your children. It's a farmer's market, not a playground.

[Marcy Walker]

11:46 AM on 08/01/2012

I am sorry if I am buying produce no matter where it is grocery store or farmers market I am going to shuck and squeeze to make sure I am getting a good product.

[TankGirlz]

12:19 PM on 08/01/2012

best stick to chain grocery stores then, they can write off the stuff you make unappealing to other shoppers. A small farmer will have to eat the loss, and they make very little to begin with. We've been trained by big supermarkets that food is supposed to look perfect, if you have a vegetable garden, you know that 90% comes out of the ground with bumps and all kinds of shapes and blemishes. but what you need to know is (if organic) it's been grown without chemicals, and IS a good product! Check out Rutger's University study on the differences in NUTRIENTS in organic vs grocery store produce.

[Uncle Yoder]

12:31 PM on 08/01/2012

Could you please give me an example of where/when it is necessary to render a piece of fruit or produce unsaleable in order to insure it is "good"?

[CrashTest]

11:45 AM on 08/01/2012

The markets here in Portland and surrounding area are amazing. Glad to be in the NW. I drove out to Hood River this weekend and picked 16 pounds of ripe blueberries at a farm for only 80 cents a pound.

[mendodnem]

01:00 PM on 08/01/2012

Wow, that's great. I just paid $5. Of course, I am on an island in B.C.

[canoeboundaryh20]

11:20 AM on 08/01/2012

Leave the dogs at home.
Nothing worse than the stench of dog urine on a 90 degree day
when picking out tonights dinner.

[neala963]

01:36 PM on 08/01/2012

Totally agree.

And having dogs in a crowded, uncontrolled market is just asking for trouble. I've seen otherwise well-mannered pooches fight other dogs and bite people because they're overstimulated or stressed at a crowded market.

[Mirabai305]

11:08 AM on 08/01/2012

I like the t-shirt on the guy in slide 9. Don't buy food from strangers.

[Cailleach Echo]

10:41 AM on 08/01/2012

I love farmer's markets. Also great produce from the Mennonites.

I'll take dogs over strollers any day but please be aware of the heat and bring water for your dog.

[Marcin A Mazurek]

10:11 AM on 08/01/2012

I keep hearing the "don't squeeze the X" but honestly - why would you squeeze corn?

[Uncle Yoder]

11:21 AM on 08/01/2012

There is no need to squeeze. Just feel around the silk end to see if the ear is filled all the way to the end with kernels. You can be sure with this year's weather, if the corn hasn't been irrigated that the kernel fill will stop an inch or 2 from the end of the ear. Also there will be missing kernels.in the body of the ear.
Shoot, I've had some that want to stick their fingernail in each ear they touch. Those people don't deserve good corn.

[TankGirlz]

12:25 PM on 08/01/2012

Please keep posting!! A lot of people really don't understand the HUGE differences between small farm and factory farm, grocery store and farmer's market. Some are just Me Me Me, I, I , I when it comes to caring about what they feed their families with, and how it affects everyone. I live in California, and feel very lucky at having a great number of small farms from which to buy lovely food. Thanks for doing the hard work of growing it!