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

A mild summer is giving way to a mild fall. No hard frosts yet means that some summer favorites are still hanging on. But if you’re ready to let summer go, here are the things to pick up instead…

Honey Nut Squash – And you thought the delicata squash were cute. Z Food Farm is bringing Honey Nut Squash–a palm-sized version of the popular butternut variety–to the Rittenhouse market. Thin-skinned and cute as a button, these little babies are perfect halved and roasted.

Crab Apples – Not to be confused with lady apples, crab apples are a variety of tiny apples known for their tartness. Less frequently eaten raw than their sweet counterparts, crabapples are extremely high in pectin, which makes them an excellent addition to preserves like crabapple jelly. Try some for yourself from Beechwood Orchards (Headhouse, Rittenhouse, N3rd).

Honey – The honeybees have spent a full season collecting nectar and pollen and autumn is harvest time for honey. Pick up some from Tassot Apiaries at the Rittenhouse market or from Two Gander at Bryn Mawr.

Raspberries & Blackberries – Though strawberries are long gone and blueberries have followed suit, the raspberries and blackberries are back for one final autumnal hurrah. Look for them on the tables at Rineer Family Farm at the Chestnut Hill and Rittenhouse markets.

Green Tomatoes – For weeks I’ve been cautioning the end of tomato season, and though a few ripe ones are certainly lingering, it’ll soon be time to switch gears completely. That said, you might still find some green tomatoes for pickling or frying on the tables at Weavers Way this weekend at Headhouse.

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