Farm Fresh: Exploring Texas farmers markets
By Amanda Hill
Nothing says summer more than taking a big bite of a plump, fresh Texas peach and having the juice drip down your chin. Fresh fruits and vegetables are found in abundance this summer at farmers markets all over the state.
I love wandering a good farmers market. The bright colors, the hustle and bustle, the great people watching—and the chance to meet the farmers who grew the fresh produce before me.
There are always some items I expect to see, like tomatoes picked straight from a vine or peaches plucked from a Hill Country tree.
But there also are those unexpected finds…like fennel.
Peppers and eggplant…
And green beans. Don’t these look beautiful?
There are lots of different types of produce offered—conventional, local, organic, etc. To me, that doesn’t matter as much as the overall experience and the quality of the fruits and vegetables I take home.
If you’re looking for a farmers market in your area, check out this interactive map from the USDA. You can search by location, market name, products available and payment type accepted.
With produce this fresh, why not explore your local farmers market this summer?
Where’s your favorite farmers market, and what do you like to buy?
So where are these Farmer’s Markets that are all over Texas? Is there a list somewhere on the web?
Hi Jenni,
The USDA has a great database, which you can search to find the farmers markets in Texas. The website is http://farmersmarkets.usda.gov. You can search by zip code to find the farmers market closest to you.
Looking at the map, there are several Texas farmers markets recorded in the database, but especially along the I-35 corridor (Dallas/Fort Worth, Central Texas, Austin, San Antonio). The Hill Country also has several good ones.
Let me know if you find one to visit. I’m interested to hear what you think!
Amanda