Farmers Market Friday - Big and Small

Welcome back to Farmers Market Friday!  

After a couple of weeks focused on the house I finally have some more farmers market finds to share with you.  

This is the perfect time to hit your local farmers markets - big and small.  

The summer produce is a little behind here in Michigan this year due to the wetter, cooler summer but goodies like tomatoes, squash and peppers are coming out in force.  

Its the tail end of sweet corn, peaches and blueberries so if you see some, grab them now.

Roadside tables and stands are popping up with extra garden goodies all over the place.  

Many times folks with extra garden produce will only be asking a pittance for these awesomely fresh and tasty morsels - 

I can usually scrape enough spare change from the bottom of my purse and my truck cup holders to grab what I want.  

If I think their stuff is excellent and they are asking too little, I usually leave a little more (most operate on the honor system with a drop-box for cash.  

While some may have neat little containers to display a pint or quart worth of produce, its good manners to place your produce in a grocery bag and leave behind the container for re-use.

This adorable setup is more fancy than most - 

its out of my normal travel range but obviously this person is well seasoned.  

The wood shavings not only make this more attractive, but I imagine help keep the dew and bugs from causing the produce to begin to rot early and keep the veggies cooler in the afternoon heat (as does the shade cover).

I also managed to swing by a weekend farmers market and hauled all this home:

4 large tomatoes

2 large and 3 small apples

Quart blueberries

Dozen chocolate chip cookies

Dozen eggs

4 potholders

2 zucchini

Loaf bread & dilly pretzels in a quart bag

Snack bag of star anise

Foodsaver sealed pack of 14 sticks cinnamon

3 snack baggies each of 1/2 dozen cake/donut bites

Grand Total - $44.50

Definitely cheaper and tastier than the grocery!