.produce.

.well, i have been meaning to post on farmer's markets for a while, and sneaky little mary beat me to it! let this be a lesson on procrastination. ha. i'm actually glad that we're getting the word out there - particularly as supermarket prices climb higher and higher. besides, mine gets to be the east coast version.

as much as i love the joys of the fremont market and of course the ever-popular pike place market in seattle, alas, i am stranded on the east coast. it's okay, though, because farmer's markets are alive and kicking over here as well.

copley square is perhaps my favorite - there are a bunch of different vendors, and it's right in front of the beautiful trinity church. the market kicks off on 20 may - although i am fairly certain that we were still getting snow in may here - and lasts through 25 november, every tuesday and friday 11am - 6pm.

(i have found that a lot of markets are open only until 5 or so, so it has been frustrating trying to find a good one that is open after i get off of work. i also haven't really found many that are open on weekends, but there are a few that i still need to check out.)

there are quite a few bakery vendors, tons of the requisite fruit and vegetable stands, fresh eggs, goat cheese, flowers. i love it. there are also a few stands that sell herbs and plants, which is how i ended up with my tiny tom tomato plant. which reminds me - i am totally yearning for a garden so that i can grow some heirloom tomatoes. i keep reading articles about them, and i am just itching to try to start growing! the weird colors and funky stripes are just so cool - i think my favorite and first attempt at growing them will either be the mini 'green grape' or 'sungold', or the big daddy 'mr. stripey.' they're all so cool-looking!

anyway. so farmer's markets are awesome. they are also fairly cheap, which i was a bit surprised about. i got a bunch of carrots, some green beans, and a massive zucchini for about 5 dollars. not too shabby.

perhaps my favorite vendor at the copley market is cook's farm and bakery, which is out of vermont. they make the most kick-ass raspberry pie i have ever had, although their strawberry-rhubarb is a close second. the best part - they make regular-sized pies, small pies, and mini pies, which have approximately the circumference of a cd.

other farmer's markets in the boston/cambridge area:
boston city hall (28 may-26 november): 11am-6pm, mondays and wednesdays
davis square (28 may-26 november): 12pm-6pm, wednesdays
central square (21 may-19 november): 11:30am-6pm, mondays
cambridge charles square (20 may-18 november): 12pm-6pm, fridays; 10am-3pm, saturdays

now, if only i could find a farmer's market that sells kittens...

.kampai.