Anyone have any nice public markets near them? We have a pretty awesome one here which I like going to to gets my fruits, vegetables, cage-free eggs, fish and meats. The quality is far superior to anything you will find at the grocery store, the produce and meats are local, and the prices simply cannot be beat. You will leave the public market with 50% more money than you would with the same amount of items purchased from the grocery store. Aside from the quality of the goods and the prices, the public market is just an awesome place to be on a Spring, Summer or Fall morning. It draws in people from all strata of the public, and is an ideal place for people watching, if you don't mind large crowds. On Saturday mornings it is literally jam packed, and it's rare you will go more than a minute or two without bumping into or brushing up against someone. Generally, I dislike crowds, but in a mostly open-air environment like this, it doesn't bother me, and I quite enjoy the vibes. I need to be getting to bed shortly because I will be getting up early to go there tomorrow.
There are tons of really small farmers markets in my area. They set up in church parking lots mostly, for one or two days a week. It feels good to meet the people who are directly responsible for what you're eating. I need to make an effort to go more often. But there's also a local butcher/produce store that only sells local meat, and produce too. They sell their own sauces and seasonings, and run a deli during the day. the place has been in business since the early 70's. the prices are usually better there, than at the markets. So that's where I usually go.
I freaking love my local veggie market. The prices are so awesome and I love bypassing the asshole supermarkets and their ridiculous profit margins they gain by how much they mark up their produce. The quality of meat in NZ is usually pretty good (for beef and lamb, anyway), but I liked buying it from the market simply to cut out the middle man and knowing exactly what farm my meat was coming from.
Lots of them around here. Saturday's Market The Green Dragon Broad Street Market West Shore Market Etc. But it's hard to beat Pittsburgh's Strip District: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vImKg0uLqDk"]The Strip District - Pittsburgh - YouTube
There's a farm in our village that has a lovely market shop in the summer for fruit and veg, they also have a country cafe and a play area for kids, it's fantastic. And you can pick your own berries and potatos as well, I love it. There is also a butchers down the road where we get most of our meats feom. In the winter I buy fruit and veg from the market in town, it is an indoor market and it used to have lots of cool independent shops there but the council is slowly ruining it by increasing the rent, such a shame.
Just got back a little while ago. This is everything I bought this morning, and I only spent around $50, which is not much considering the amount of meat I bought. Look at the size of those steaks. It's by far the best steak I've ever had. The chicken is superb, too.
Here's a news clip about the farm my meat comes from... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sy6hJWWtHg"]Humane Treatment of Cattle at Seven Bridges Farm - YouTube
There is a big year round, 7 days a week veggie market here and a few that set up seasonally. I get my veggies, milk and eggs from the market but it can be hard to find a place to get locally raised meat so I usually get meat from whole foods because they buy meat from local farmers anyways.
My parents grow vegetables, potatoes and some fruits and they have chickens. So no need to go to a market, just going to my parents to pick whatever I want/need. Sometimes they butcher a pig or cow and stuff the fridge with enough meat to last a long time. Can't get any more fresh and organic than that.
Oh that food looks like about what I buy. Anyways, yea, to comment furthur on my previous post- yeah, around here the best two that are closest to me are green dragon and root's. And yea the stuff is better and cheaper. There are also just the reg York and Lancaster down town markets which I go to about once a week for fish, meat, veggies... and some other smaller ones.. there's a cpl near here that are pretty much Amish that have really good stuff that are smaller. Anyways, I love markets.
LOL There's a public market near work, but I've never actually shopped there. Their prices are good though. I do shop at the Farmer's Market in the concourse that comes every Thursday and once the one in our town starts, I will be going there on Saturday mornings. The one in the concourse at work, has the best eggs I've ever had. The one around here, doesn't have much stuff, but it does have good, fresh, cheap veggies and fruits. Sophia always eats all the berries she can find. I've never bought any meat in either, but I'm sure it's good.
Hahaha, you're daughter loves berries too? My son loves all berries but he's obsessed with blueberries. "BLUE!!!"-- he goes freaking nuts. The other day a lady behind us in line at a store had blueberries on the conveyor and oh no... he had to see them and go nuts trying to grab them and eat them. The lady was like "oh I'd give you some but theyre not washed!" and I'm like "Case, they're not ours and she has to buy them" but yea... he wouldn't stop trying to grab them and eat them.