The Takoma Park Farmer's Market
Squash, apples, carrots, and sweet potatoes are around for much of the winter
Tons of mushrooms - a special treat
Local cheese, year-round
Eggs, jams, and beeswax candles - but the eggs are sold out!
If you read this blog regularly, you know that I’m a bit of a farmer’s market fanatic. During the spring, summer, and fall, I make it a point to get there nice and early, almost every single week. During the winter, I go less often, but I still try to go every couple weeks.
I’m lucky – most farmer’s markets close down when the weather gets cold, and don’t open again until late spring when the first early vegetables are popping up. But in most metropolitan areas, there are one or two markets that run year round. And for those who venture out in the cold, it can be well worth the trip.
The Takoma Park Farmer’s Market, just outside DC, is one of these rare year-round markets. I’ve visited a couple times since New Year’s, which is when a large number of vendors pack up and take their winter break. Fruits and vegetables are slim – today there was just one stand selling winter vegetables like onions, sweet potatoes, and carrots, and another selling mostly apples. But, there are plenty of other local foods to enjoy, plus some surprises – vendors who sell at other markets for most of the year, but move to Takoma when their usual market shuts down. So in addition to bakeries, free-range eggs and meat, and local cheese (which are there all year), this week we had a mushroom seller, a milk vendor (for the first time!), and greenhouse lettuce.
While it’s cold, winter visits to the farmer’s market can be cozy in a way that doesn’t happen during the peak season. There are fewer people and no lines. There’s less competition – though even on a cold day like today, one vendor was sold out of eggs by the time we arrived around noon. With a smaller array of items, you can explore those unusual things you never think to buy during the summer. Case in point – today I bought some goats’ milk, just because I was curious to try it. (And next time, I may buy more to make cheese!) To me, it’s worth the trip just to get eggs that I know were humanely raised. But if there’s a year-round farmer’s market near you, it’s worth investigating – you may make some interesting finds!