~by Patti Edwardson for the farmers market
September is here, and the gardens of Greene County farmers market growers are producing a bounty of crops. Each Tuesday through the end of the month, shoppers can look forward to a great selection of fruits and vegetables, including:
- Potatoes, onions, carrots, and beets
- Tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, zucchini, eggplant, and green beans
- Sweet corn, grapes, watermelon, and cantaloupe
- Butternut, acorn, and spaghetti squash, and pie pumpkins
- Fall greens, such as spinach, lettuce, arugula, and kale
- Apples, including Honeycrisp, Gala, and McIntosh, and even locally-produced hard cider
- A few surprises such as hot peppers, okra, broom corn, Indian corn, and gladiolus flowers
One of the best reasons to shop at the market is the ability to meet your farmer. Shoppers are able to ask how the items are grown or produced. Some growers for Greene County farmers market are chemical-free while others are certified organic. Shoppers can also ask when the item was harvested, how to store it, and how to use it. Producers have a wealth of information about local, healthy foods and are happy to share it.
Shoppers often pick up items for the week, but many of the available items will keep for an extended period of time. Now is the time to stock up on those easiest to store, including potatoes, onions, apples, and squash. Many baked goods freeze well. Honey, jams, and jellies keeps for months, and personal products like soaps, bath salts, and lip balms keep indefinitely. Beef and pork are already frozen for you, and eggs keep for several weeks.
While at the market, shoppers can also connect with the producers to keep up on any offerings they will have after the market is finished for the season. There’s no need to stop buying local when there are many dedicated growers and producers with foods to sell.
The Greene County farmers market will run each Tuesday through Sept. 29 from 4 pm to 6:30 pm on the east side of the courthouse square in Jefferson. A meal and fresh-popped popcorn will be waiting for hungry shoppers as well.
