The Dirt: What To Get At The Farmers Market This Weekend

It’s really hot out, but lucky for me, I have the kind of job that I can largely do from within the sweet, sinful delight of air-conditioned splendor. You know who doesn’t have that kind of job? Who has the opposite of that kind of job? Farmers.

This weekend, while you party in the USA, celebrating your freedom to enjoy cold, alcoholic beverages, light things on fire, and eat meat scented with charcoal and patriotism, be grateful for those whose blood, sweat, and tears went into the production of your sweet, sweet cheeseburger and your corn on the cob. That’s right, I said git yerself to the farmer’s market.

Patriotic Pie- In honor of the fourth, Frecon Fruit Farm will have apple, blueberry, and cherry pies (get it? Red, white, and blue?) for sale at their markets!

Peaches – Though it’s early yet, Hands on the Earth Farm at the Rittenhouse market might have a few early season peaches with your name on them.

Cucumbers – Curcurbits are really coming into their own this week. Savoie Organic will have three varieties (blonde, American slicing, and northern pickling) at the Headhouse and Collingswood markets, and 2 Gander will have both pickling and slicing varieties at Bryn Mawr.

Broccoli – I know you probably don’t think of broccoli as being a summer crop, but it also does just fine in the early summer. Sure, it’s not broccoli casserole season, but who would say no to some broccoli salad as part of a cook-out spread? Look for it on the tables of Three Springs Fruit Farm at Headhouse and Taproot Farm at the North 3rd Market.

String Beans – Peas are winding down for the year, but they’re giving way to their juicy cousins. Pair them with a nice can of tuna (or better yet, Otolith’s Alaskan salmon) and some of the new potatoes showing up at market and you’ve got a super easy Nicoise salad. Look for the standard green variety as well as yellow wax beans and the more unusual purple variety, but be forewarned: the purple ones turn green when you cook them.

Find something great at your local market? Instagram it and tag accordingly: @foobooz #fooboozthedirt