The Des Moines Farmer's Market

Wow!  I have certainly neglected my blog.  But I'm back now with renewed enthusiasm!  Thinking about what has happened on the food front since March, one of my favorite food things is the Des Moines (WA) Farmer's Market.  The Market runs from the first of June to the end of Oct.  Local and central Washington farmers bring a wide variety of vegetables, fruits, berries, meat, cheese, baked goods and flowers every Saturday.  There are a few craft booths and ready to eat food, also.  There is live music and face painting.  The Market is the best community event ever hosted by Des Moines.  It's a time to catch up on local gossip as I always run into friends, neighbors and the local ":movers and shakers".  It is located at the Marina on Puget Sound and on clear days, we can see the Olympic Mountains.

At the start of the season, produce and flowers are all from local farmers from the Puyallup, Snoqualmie and Kent Valleys.  All the early cool season vegetables:  several varieties of lettuce, radishes, spring onions, bok choy, peas, beets and spinach.  As the season goes on, carrots, cucumbers, onions, broccoli, cauliflower and herbs appear.  And at the end, tomatoes and peppers of all kinds.  Flowers across the entire season from peonies to sunflowers, lilies to dahlias, snapdragons to mums.  Fruit from central Washington starts off with cherries, moves into peaches, nectarines, plums, pears, melons and ends with apples.  Mid season there are all the berries from the Puyallup Valley.  Everything looks delicious and over buying is easy to do!

In addition to all this local food to take home, you can have lunch from several vendors.  Pizza, dim sum, stuffed cabbage roles, kettle corn and, of course, coffee and espresso drinks!  Pull up a chair, munch and listen to the live music each week  There is face painting for the kids and local community events or organizations may be featured each week.  There are always a few crafts booth--take care of a gift giving need while you shop for produce!  Jewelry, soap, wood turned items, pet toys, art and photo cards are just a few.

Today there was one additional day at the Des Moines Farmer's Market--to stock up on winter vegetables and buy a few items for Thanksgiving.  I got some really cute Brussels sprouts that will be part of my roasted vegetable dish for Thanksgiving.  And I also scored late season Pink Lady apples--our favorite apple.  The weather was chilly, but dry and windless.  A fitting end of the season for the Des Moines Farmer's Market.  Just like baseball, the next season will be here before I know  it!

www.dmfm.org