Discovering the Goodness that is Raleigh’s Farmers Market
I checked out the State Farmers Market today for the first time and walked away loaded with incredibly fresh, inexpensive fruits, veggies and cheeses. Several people have told me the market is ridiculously cheap and brimming with fresh goodies, so I knew the trip would be fruitful (insert rimshot here). Still, I couldn’t believe what I managed to snag:
- Strawberries that would make Strawberry Shortcake jealous for $4
- Goat cheese and jalapeno spread for $5 along with this friendly exchange: “Do you know what cerveza is? Well, what you’ll want to do is buy some tortilla chips and dip them in this here cheese and follow up with one of them there cervezas.”
- A pound of cherries for $2
- Cilantro for $1
- Avocados for 89 cents each
- And four gorgeous, plump tomatoes for $2-something
If you haven’t been to this place yet, you must check it out. In addition to fabulous deals, the people watching is amazing. The blend of cultures is almost as refreshing as my ripe strawberries. If you have been, how often do you go and what do you buy?
And if Raleigh’s too far to head for fresh goodness, there’s always the Durham Farmer’s Market, which is now open year round and has moved into its new digs under a pavilion downtown in Durham Central Park. I’m sure there are other markets around that I just haven’t found yet. If you know of any I haven’t mentioned, tell me about them.
What I'm Doing
4 Responses to “Discovering the Goodness that is Raleigh’s Farmers Market”
Wake Forest has a farmers market downtown on Saturdays…it is awesome. Bread, veggies, cheese, plants etc. They also do something really cool where they have a board and you put a card up indicating where you came from…it is cool to see all the places. They also have a rule that all vendors must grow their goods within a certain mile radius of Wake Forest-not sure what it is…I think 20 miles…so it’s REALLY local!
By mbalbo on Dec 29, 2007
Oh yes, oh yes, oh yes. I know the *exact* goat cheese and jalapeño spread; I could sit and eat a tub of it, and I might not even regret the bloated-to-infinity feeling after. There’s a vendor that sells fresh salsa there, and I literally have to ration it out to myself …
By absent.canadian on Dec 30, 2007
And then, there is the famous Carrboror Farmers market:
http://carrborofarmersmarket.com/
By Coturnix on Dec 31, 2007
And don’t forget to go do lunch at the little seafood restaurant on the 2nd row (NOT the big round one) and have some hush puppies. Their large is big enough for two. Also there’s a little butcher shop nearby that has good deals on pork chops and such for grilling.
By Some Dude on May 24, 2008