Sunset Valley Farmer's Market

Last Saturday afternoon was like Christmas morning... but better.

Chris volunteered at Sunset Valley Farmer's Market in the morning and brought home his compensation: the most beautiful locally grown vegetables. And not just a couple, he brought home the whole farm!

Katie: I was rocking in my chair on the patio when he got home. He was filthy with dirt and sweat, but he had the biggest smile on his face when he said, “I may need some help with the groceries”. I knew I was in for a treat. They covered our entire counter! Fresh basil and mint, heirloom tomatoes, eggplant, all kinds of peppers, bags of carrots, and the best rosemary bread I’ve ever tasted… it was sensory overload (in a good way).

Sarah: The news spread like wildfire. Naturally, Ross and I popped over within minutes... Virginia and Mark were not far behind. And as you can imagine, the rest of the weekend was spent cooking, pickling, and grilling. The way hot summer days should be spent.

Here is a glimpse of our Farmer's Market medley:

The produce started out dirty and in need of some loving...

But we had a few ideas. Cucumbers, banana peppers,..

jalapeños, pepperoncinis, and red chili peppers... what could we possibly make from this motley crew?

This brightly colored assortment of fresh produce quickly turned into jar after jar of home-made pickled items.

We didn't stop there: squash casserole, eggplant pizza, stuffed poblano peppers...

...fried okra, quinoa and veggie salad,...

and many, many tomato sandies.

Enjoy what's in season now. It's cheaper and not to mention it was probably grown on a farm not far from your house rather than a farm halfway around the world. Many farmer's markets are on Saturday mornings, ending around lunch time. Although we were fortunate enough to receive these items free of charge, pricing on locally grown produce is very reasonable.

Eating locally and organic benefits you and your neighborhood.

Food for thought.

Sarah & Katie