Coming to a Farmers' Market Near You

In my village there is a cooperative of local farmers that meets on Saturday morning for about 4-5 hours. They sell their produce, eggs, honey, bread, condiments, plants and the like. There are food vendors there as well and often times folks turn it into a social event. Shoppers might come in contact with something they had read about but never seen and then would ask how it is used or prepared.
Organic produce is an occasional treat for me even though I wish I could say it were more of a mainstay in the larder. Truth is, it tends to be more on the pricey side and I am at a point in life when counting pennies is essential. When I DO have organic produce, however, I make a point of saving the shavings and the skin and the cut off tops and bottoms for future stock. There is nothing quite like putting together a plant-based stock when making a dish that requires a little more liquid.
This is also the time of year when I think of eating beets and cabbage. Borscht is a winter delight even if it does get a bit messy to make. My heart goes out to people who do not or cannot eat onions or are phobic that the cruciferous vegetable will make them flatulent. It's a small price to pay for superior roughage!
Saturdays are also days when i do large cooking for the week. I have no problem eating the same foods for meals day after day. Breakfast is normally rice and beans with an egg (poached, fried, soft cooked) and dinner is generally pasta with tomato gravy. Today I made Costa Rican style macaroni which is made with fresh tomatoes, garlic, onion, cilantro, and a cup of the pasta water. It's a simple dish and today's creation was made with fusili.
Going to the farmers' market connects me with a(n) hipper side of myself. It reminds me that fresh is generally the preferred way to go when consuming food. It reminds me that plant-based living should be a greater part of the diet. Following a meatless regimen doesn't mean that everything is going to be raw. One of the dishes from my younger days that should be made more frequently is TVP balls. Texturized vegetable protein has fallen the wayside over the years. It recent times I've noted that soy and soy products are being demonized for their running interference with reproduction. Hmmm.... the Asians seem to be able to produce children with little to no difficulty.
Well, time's a wasting. I have to jump in the douche as my daily ablution, comb and brush my coif, select an ensemble in which to present in the word, and choose my recyclable bags wisely.
Take care the next time you need to do produce shopping and consider a trip to a farmers' market if there is one in your neck of the woods.