Friday, June 13, 2008

frugal friday


today's Frugal Friday post is brought to you by your local farmer's market. that's right, even if you don't know it yet, you DO have a local farmer's market. and if there isn't one in the city that you live, google a few cities nearby and you'll be sure to find one. that's precisely what i did, knowing that our small town doesn't have one. i picked a random city that we visit frequently, found the address, dates and times, and early one saturday morning my two men and i drove down the hill to see what sort of deals we could find.

i tell you, it was love at first sight. this particular farmer's market is located in an old city park complete with lots of grass, picnic tables, a meandering stream, a playground and an old train that carries passengers around the park for a small fee. immediately, i wished that we had arrived sooner and packed ourselves a picnic lunch!

we first took our time amongst the bustling stalls, observing particular wares and prices before going back to make our purchases. i honestly didn't need a lot of produce at the time; next time we go i'll be sure to wait and buy all of my fruits and veggies from the delicious, organic choices that were on display. i did purchase the tastiest and cheapest bunch of carrots i've had in a long time, some gorgeous beets and a small packet of rice/lentils/seasonings that i just added chicken to in the crock pot to make a tasty and healthy meal.

not only will we pack a picnic next time we go, we'll also be sure to stand in the looong lineup in front of the stall selling french crepes made in front of your eyes with your choice of savoury or sweet toppings. we managed to resist the temptation of the mouth watering smells coming from the stall selling fresh carne asada tacos, though we seriously contemplated it for awhile. in the end, we wandered off, allowing tristan to enjoy the playground, and later took him on the train where he waved and waved to everyone and no one.

it was a great, nearly no cost day spent with my family and i'm already itching to go back. so, if you haven't visited your local farmer's market yet, what are you waiting for?

3 comments:

Lori said...

Great post Heidi. Remind me in August when Farmer's Markets actually open in Utah. Silly state, being all cold and non plantable until May.

Natalie Peters said...

I never realized Abbotsford has a Saturday Farmers Market till last year... I just might have to pack up the little man and pay it a visit.(though I'm sure it's not as lovely as yours, It's in old downtown)

Jennifer said...

ours was today...and it's wedged inbetween downtown and the river.