Love That Farmers Market Produce!
After a somewhat lean summer for produce due to the extreme drought and high heat, we are now enjoying a wonderful fall with a bountiful choice of vegetables and fruits at my local farmers market. The photo at left is just one weekend’s haul including cauliflower, broccoli, eggplant (I made My Moussaka with these fresh beauties), green beans, radishes, carrots, peppers, and lots of greens. I found all these and more at my favorite farmers market, the Nassau Bay Farmers Market at Erma’s Nutrition Center. 
What I like most about this farmers market, other than it’s conveniently located, is it only has local produce grown using organic practices, and all vendors sell products they grow or make themselves. The farmers market is operated by John and Ellen Milstead and their daughter Sarah, who own Erma’s Nutrition Center.
For the last few weeks there have been lots of greens, green beans, lettuce, spinach, squash, eggplant, satsumas, limes, and peppers, and now there are also cauliflower, broccoli, and cabbages. Most of the produce has just been picked and it looks it–dewy fresh. Of course the taste is also extra special. All of them beat the limp grocery store vegetables brought in from thousands of miles away, most of them days or even weeks old before they get to the store.
There are also vendors who sell jewelry, homemade soaps, bath salts, and pottery. Vendors vary from season to season, but many of them are always there and have been coming every Saturday for years.
Georgia’s Grassfed Beef always has a table and sells their beef–of course–as well as pastured chicken, lamb, pork (including some of the best nitrite-, nitrate-free bacon ever), eggs, and honey.
The Law Ranch Cattle Company is also always there selling their excellent dry aged, grassfed beef. Amy Law also sells whole grains or freshly ground flour in a variety of grinds. During spring, summer, and fall, Master Gardener Bill Wyatt of Grace Outdoors has a great selection of plants and herbs for the home gardener.
Here are more photos of the produce and vendors at the Nassau Bay Market:
What a timely post! My hubby just got the first deer of the saseon and has spent quite a few hours cutting it up (finished that part last night, now he’s just got to pack them). Since we are somewhat used to eating every part of the animal (almost every), I think I’ve cooked every cut you can usually get, but I will look for a cut that I don’t cook often and report back. He really loves to cook it over a wood burning ceramic oven/grill. It is great for searing and then bringing back down to a lower temp to finish off. I just got the Family Cottage Cooking Book (I might be messing up the word order for the title) yesterday and I love it. I am excited to hear about their meat book too! Great post and great challenge idea!