Farmers market fresh produce

Don’t you just love to find a good farmers market? I do. I have been back in Kansas about three months now, and I had no idea that the largest farmers market in Kansas is a few blocks from where I now live in Overland Park. Open every Saturday from 6:30 a.m. till sellout and Wednesday from 7:30 a.m. till sellout, the Downtown Overland Park Farmers Market on Marty between 79th and 80th “is a thriving open air market offering produce, flowers, specialty foods and entertainment for the entire family,” according to the Historic Downtown Overland Park website.

I found the farmers market online last evening and in person this morning. What a delight. I found there everything that I love about a good farmers market.

First, I love the fresh produce. Even five hours after it had opened, the farmers market still had an abundance of fresh produce. I love fresh produce from local farms. I love the flavor and aroma of the fresh fruits and vegetables that have not been shipped halfway across the country and stored for weeks before I find them in a store.

Second, I enjoy the chance to support local farmers face to face. Of course, when I arrived at the farmers market today, mark-downs had already begun, so I wasn’t supporting them with quite so much money as I would have if I had arrived at, say 7 a.m. But I know that I’m still supporting them.

Third, I love a good deal. I was able to get all of the produce that I needed for this coming week (and most likely a bit beyond) for less than $28 (see the accompanying photo). I will make a big pot of green beans and new potatoes, a big batch of Harvard beets (all of the beets in the photo came to $2), a peach-blueberry cobbler, my new basil zucchini tofu over rice recipe, a tomato and cucumber salad and/or sandwich, a stirfry with tofu and the green bell peppers, a garnish of sliced radishes to go on my black bean soup with cornbread, and a skillet full of vegan corned beef and cabbage.

Fourth, I love to learn something every time that I go to a farmers market (and I have my favorite farmers markets in Washington, DC, Maryland, Chicago, and Oak Park, Illinois). Today, Debbie of Samyn Farm in Mound City, Kansas, taught me that I have apparently been abusing my beets for the past 40 years or so. Her exact words were “Do not peel your beets!” She said to scrub them, leave them intact and do not trim them in any way, put them into a big pot, and boil them until I can easily insert a big fork into the biggest one. At that point, she said, the tops will fall off, the peeling will slough off, and I can then trim off the tail. Who knew? I always thought that I had to peel them before I cooked them. Of course, when I did, I always wondered why they faded so much. Debbie explained that the 1-2 inches of tops left intact during boiling keep the deep, rich beet color inside the beet instead of bleeding into the pot of cooking water. It apparently acts as a stopper, so to speak. Thank you, Debbie, for teaching me about beets after all these years.

Fifth, I love so many of the other things at a good farmers market, such as the families strolling and talking with one another and kids eating food that they have just bought. I enjoy the live music. I also enjoy watching grandchildren help their grandparents at the produce stands. I know that the grandparents appreciate the help, and the grandchildren look so proud of themselves for the work that they are doing, such as learning good customer service and how to count change without a calculator. And today, at this farmers market, I was also delighted to find a stand selling my favorite Farm to Market Bread.

Check out the Downtown Overland Park Farmers Market. I trust that you will enjoy it as much as I do.