One of the very nicest of the smaller markets is the mid-week Town and Country Farmers' Market at Camelback Rd. and 20th St.. It's especially nice at this time of the year because the vendor tables are under the roof overhang and there are misters everywhere. Thank goodness for misters!
Another reason is because it's easy to get to from work on your lunch hour as the market runs from 10 a.m. - 2p.m.during the summer. Town and Country shopping center is centrally located in Phoenix with plenty of parking. However, farmers' market shopping in the middle of the day takes some advance planning and a big cooler if you don't have access to a refrigerator at your work. That's another good reason to carry those insulated shopping bags with you in the car. Fresh produce and eggs will hold up fairly well for a while in the car with the air conditioner on, but ideally, they should be put in a refrigerator or cooler as soon as possible. You know that old saying about Phoenix (besides the one about "It's a dry heat") - "it's so hot you can fry an egg on the sidewalk." So, if you are heading back to work after your trek and can't get to a refrigerator, definitely opt for a cooler and plenty of ice. And, find some shade if you can to park under.
Town and Country Market also has a number of other things going for it besides misters. Pinnacle Farms is an organic producer located in Waddell near the White Tank mountains. They are the big produce vendor this time of the year, but McClendons Select is also there starting the beginning of October when the hours change to 8:30 a.m. - 2 p.m.
On a recent visit, Pinnacle Farms had the most wonderful display of organic produce you can imagine. It reminds you of the weekly neighborhood markets in many European cities, with an abundance of everything good for you. They also operate on an honor, as well as a regular, payment system. Halfway down the display you'll see a locked box with a slot in the top and instructions to put your money in the box if you already know your total. Totally charming!
That's all for today - come on down y'all.
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