The Bay Area must be one of the easiest places in the country for an aspiring locavore.
Today my local farmer's market opened; and I went mostly to see what could possibly be in season. In the grocery, most of the produce like red bell peppers is coming up from Mexico; so I figured there would be some root vegetables and winter greens - not much else.
What a surprise! There were only six produce stalls; but I could have made many meals from them, without sacrifice. I saw: artichokes, asparagus, potatoes, lettuce, spinach, mixed salad greens, onions, garlic, celery, carrots, chard, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, leeks, 3 types of mushrooms, zucchini, sweet peppers (red, yellow, orange and green), long neck squash, brussel sprouts, tomatoes (not so nice looking), old apples, cilantro and a few Asian herbs I couldn't name, strawberries, oranges, lemons, grapefruit, bok choy, and radishes. Not all of it was organic; but quite a lot was.
I budget my farmer's market visits like a trip to Las Vegas - I only take what I plan to spend. For $18, I picked up 2 gorgeous bunches of asparagus, 3 lovely artichokes, 1 bunch (6) of baby bok choy, and 3 quarts of strawberries. I learned that asparagus has been in season for 6 weeks already in the San Joaquin Delta; and that the season is less than half over. Of these items, all were hoped for, but only the bok choy was expected. I can't wait to see what comes into season next! And next week, I'll take two bags with me, and more money. It's a gamble I'm sure to win.
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