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Recently husband and I took a saunter through one of my favorite stores...Home Goods! I love that place. There is a really good one on Rt. 73 in Marlton, NJ. (And just ten minutes either way there are two more...also good...one on Rt. 38 in Moorestown, NJ and another one on Rt. 130 in Cinnaminson, NJ). I have been known to do all three in a weekend!
If you follow a prescribed NO Carb diet you will not eat any fruit. I follow a low carb diet. I pay attention to the glycemic load. I eat fruit because it is healthy. But, that having been said, I watch portion size.
In the (Collingswood Farmer's)market now are so many beautiful fruits. Earlier were all the berries. Now...Mid August...the market is full of melons and peaches and apples and plums and, even, grapes.
These are beautiful, delicious, unique, sought-after Jersey tomatoes. That is, tomatoes born and raised in New Jersey. The Garden State. My uncle bought plants in New Jersey, once, and took them home to Long Island. He tried to grow Jersey tomatoes in New York! It didn't work. The plants got spindly and never produced a single piece of fruit.
Last week was hectic and hot. This week was less hectic but hotter. As early as 8AM the humidity is nearly unbearable and the heat from the sun is scorching. But the farmer's brave the heat and so we go to support them and to shop. This, despite the weather, is a wonderful time for produce in NJ. Everything that we've waited all winter for is out and plentiful. And therefore, very inexpensive!
I know I sound like a broken record. But find yourself a local market and buy some fresh fruits and vegetables. When watching your portion size for counting carbs....it's really the best to have delicious, freshly picked produce. Everything tastes better when it's fresh!
The market is bursting with produce! All of it beautiful! We had a lot of rain and warm weather in the early spring so the vegetables and fruits are coming in about two weeks sooner, and, alas, leaving sooner too. But this week there was everything to pick from...and I did!
I have been shopping at my local (Collingswood, NJ) farmer's market for ten years. For as long as it's been in existence. During the months that the market is open (May through November) I do nearly all of my food shopping there. Because I do that much shopping there I have had to come up with a way of being able to carry everything I buy. I do go back to the car (or send a daughter) when we simply have too much to carry. Remember...corn is heavy, tomatoes are delicate...one cannot simply dump everything into one bag or cart.
It was a beautiful morning for the market. The crowds are learning to respect the opening hour and shopping was a lot easier. Youngest daughter was at a seminar in Chicago and oldest daughter was getting ready to go to NYC to see her first Broadway Show (a birthday present from her boyfriend!) so...I was planning on the trip myself. For years I shopped alone and I was fine. Now I always have company and that is fine too. This week dear husband joined me. He had on his trusty market logo baseball hat. And he pulled my wagon!
I waited all winter for NJ Fresh vegetables. And my local farmer's market (Collingswood Farmer's Market) has really come through...as they always do. We had over 70 inches of snow this past winter and a very wet early spring. Because of that many of the fruit and vegetable crops are coming in and leaving earlier.
September 12 was a special day at the farmer's market I patronize. As a result of an email voting campaign, the Collingswood Farmer's Market was voted the BEST small farmer's market in the entire USA. As if I didn't know that already.
Saturday morning was hot and humid and it was threatening to rain. We've had over 8 inches of rain around here. Things are moist everywhere. Bugs are abundant and fruits and vegetables are large and lucious. They full of juicy good ness.
I was listening to a podcast this morning of a fresh food advocate. He said that eating good fresh food, even from farmer's markets, is too expensive for regular people. Huh? With cucumbers 4 for $! and zucchini the same. How is that too expensive? Produce at the farmer's market is plentiful and inexpensive. Our farmer's market even accepts government payment checks from senior citizens. But even more than that, the farmers are just nice people. They are very generous and accommodating to every customer.
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