thinking about farmers markets

i went down to the Bloomingdale Farmers Market today and now, while i'm enjoying an awesome heirloom tomato, pesto on "flute" sandwich i'm thinking about farmers markets.

When i was a kid we would only go to farmers markets occasionally. We'd make a special trip to the Union Square Farmers Market in New York, or to small roadside stands for seasonal harvests like apples, or corn, and to a few amish markets. But only a handful of times a year.

I was more interested in the adventure than the produce. All i wanted to eat was a tuna salad sandwich and a yoo-hoo. or pizza and soda.

It wasn't until i went to college that i actually met produce farmers, vegetable gardeners and began to care about the origins of the food i ate. It was then that i began making trips on my own to the few farmers markets that i knew of. and even then, it wasn't that often.

After college, i worked and lived on a Community Supported Agriculture farm in Maryland for 6 months. I ate really really well. We also set up at farmers markets and made deliveries of "shares" of each weeks harvest.

I learned to love farmers markets. After i left that farm, i would often go to farmers markets and roadside stands, but not religiously, more of a ... oh what would i like to do today kinda thing. I used to work at the Shakespeare Theatre and would hit up on the thursday afternoon penn quarter market, and i always encourage my wife to go, since she currently works in that hood.

Now, i try to make it every sunday to the bloomingdale farmers market and want to include it in my regular shopping habits. I love the quality of the produce there and feel that its an important thing to support.

While its pretty small and limited, the stuff available at the market is amazing. the heirloom tomatoes i got today were perfect, and i still can't believe bread line is setting up in our hood. they are simply the best bakery in the city, but the hours and the location of their shop was never convenient for me.

I have hopes that the market will grow and take over the entire street, but in the meantime i'll still do my best to make it every sunday.

I'm glad that establishing farmers markets has been a growing trend
here is the most current list of farmers markets in DC that i could find