2013 Austin Area Farmer’s Markets

Spring has sprung. Not that you could tell by the recent weather. Brrrr. With spring-like weather back by this weekend, it will be just in time for the widest selection of farmer’s markets that the Austin area has to offer.

Farmer’s markets are a many splendored thing. They offer the opportunity to support local growers, to see food when it has just come from its natural habitat (vs. being bathed/waxed/shined to a high gloss or otherwise processed), and to expand your culinary horizons. For example, I love pickled beets.  I could devour a whole can of them as a child. You know what, though? I had no idea what they looked like before they got sliced, pickled, and packaged in fuchsia liquid.  They are hairy little purple beasts with a “full head” of leafy tops.  I not only learned what they look like when I saw them at a farmer’s market, but I also learned from talking to people around me that they are pretty fabulous when you clean them, slice them, drizzle some olive oil over them, sprinkle them with some salt, and roast them.  I haven’t tried this yet, but it’s on my culinary to-do list.

I am sure that i could find beets in the produce section of my favorite grocery store, too, but it’s not the same experience as I can have at a farmer’s market.  When I go to a grocery store, I am inundated by florescent light, a dizzying array of food, and the overall sense of rush-rush-rush that comes from trying to get everything you need and get out without too much stress.  When I shop at a farmer’s market, I find that I can have a slower, more purposeful experience.  I generally do not feel overwhelmed or rushed. I usually am sipping some delicious organic, fresh-ground coffee while listening to live music and perusing selections of vegetables I should be familiar with but am not.  I typically have a very enjoyable and relaxing experience while shopping at a farmer’s market.

I also enjoy the wide selection of handmade wares I typically find at a farmer’s market. I recently found a very beautiful one-of-a-kind dress for a beloved friend’s baby at a farmer’s market.  It was such a happy accident to find that dress when I was really there to check out fresh, cage-free eggs, gourmet infused olive oils, and interesting vegetables.  One of my most favorite aspects of visiting local farmer’s markets is watching other people also enjoy the experience with their families and often their dogs. My dog is not well-behaved enough to go places like this with me, but if she was, I would certainly take her.

I have enjoyed working my way through Austin-area farmer’s markets.  I have to say that the farmer’s market at Lakeline mall is pretty convenient and offers a wide selection of goodies. I enjoy the intimate setting of the 6701 Burnet Road farmer’s market.  I REALLY enjoy the small-town, family feel of the Pflugerville farmer’s market.  I am absolutely enamored with the nearby playground, waterfront view, and general area of the Mueller farmer’s market in central Austin.  Some of my best memories of outings with my daughter when she was a tiny baby and toddler include the Sunset Valley farmer’s market that we used to visit with friends who lived in southwest Austin.  There are so many more to explore, and I cannot wait to do so!

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