Farmers’ markets offer fresh fare.
WRITTEN BY MELISSA SIIG
PHOTO BY CAROLE TOPALIAN
If you want fresh produce, locally made crafts, prepared food from local vendors, and live music all in one spot, there is only one place to go in the summer: a farmers’ market. Fortunately for the Reno-Tahoe area, there are about 25 farmers’ markets to choose from every day of the week.
While some people may think the price of fruits and vegetables at farmers’ markets is too high, the benefits far outweigh the costs.
The biggest value is twofold, says Gary Romano of Sierra Valley Farms in Beckwourth, Calif., which hosts a farmers’ market every Friday in the summer.
“It’s about freshness and knowing where your food is coming from,” he says.
Most produce at farmers’ markets is picked the day before it is sold, and travels from field to stand within two hours and under 100 miles. By comparison, the average vegetable or piece of fruit found in a grocery store is picked four to 14 days before reaching the shelf, and travels about 1,500 miles.
Another added bonus of farmers’ markets is that consumers can find rare varieties of seasonal produce that usually are not available in supermarkets, such as Ambrosia, Asian, and Indian melons. And unlike your typical grocery store, farmers’ markets are a great chance to socialize with friends, all while getting the weekly shopping done. To find a farmers’ market near click here.
Melissa Siig is a freelance writer based in Tahoe City, Calif. One of her favorite summer pastimes is biking with her kids to the Tahoe City Farmers’ Market.
