Homegrown goodness
Farmers markets still offering quality, taste to shoppers
There’s still a good selection of foods to choose from at local farmers markets and many will continue to operate through the end of September.
When it comes to shopping local, there are lots of stores offering all kinds of interesting stuff to buy.
But one local shopping opportunity that never gets enough attention are farmers market operations in the Oklahoma City area and the local growers who provide tasty, nutritious foods for folks to enjoy.
That’s particularly true this time of year, as people refocus their attention away from summertime leisure activities toward the new school year and everything that brings.
But the markets, most on Saturdays, continue to operate, and one grower who sells at two of them said he would encourage patrons of the events to continue doing so.
“This time of the year, there is still a really good variety of products available” for consumers to choose from, said Joshua Guess, of Rooted Farm in Oklahoma City.
“And right now is a really good time to remind people” markets are still going, he added, noting that he sees a big drop off in business as August becomes September.
“Farmers markets are fantastic,” Guess said, “but when you consider how many dollars are spent on food, the business they do represents only a drop in the bucket.
“If we saw a paradigm shift, and interest in these markets stayed strong, producers would respond and we’d see a better variety of products available for people to choose from throughout the year.”
Not that the selection is lacking, now.
At farmers markets this time of year, you’re likely to find apples, black-eyed peas, cantaloupe, cucumbers, eggplant, garlic, greens, herbs, peaches, pears, eggs, meats, freshcut flowers, bedding plants, peppers, squash, sweet corn, tomatoes, watermelon and more.
Fresh, flavorful fish
And at some markets, vendors sell locally produced, organically-certified meats, fish, eggs and cheese.
A fish grower from Duncan, for example, sells his farm-raised tilapia at the farmers markets held on Saturdays at Oklahoma State University-Oklahoma City.
Jerry Davis, who owns the Half Mile Fish Farm in Duncan, said he began raising tilapia as kind of a second career that he hopes will keep him busy once he retires from working in the oil field as a well tester.
Davis said he has a son who raises the fish as well, in Virginia, and said he wanted to give consumers the opportunity to enjoy a good, quality product that’s locally grown and fins and gills above what they might be able to get at a seafood market, restaurant or typical grocery store.
“We like fish. We like natural things, and we like things that are good for you,” Davis said. “I’m not happy with how tilapia is raised elsewhere, because you are what you eat.”
When it comes to fish, Davis said they are what they live in, so he strives to raise his in clean, well-filtered water.
The results, he said, are outstanding, as his fish are flavorful, tender and smoke exceedingly well.
“I like smoked salmon, and I’ve got to tell you, our smoked tilapia is right up there,” Davis said. “People need something that’s not junk to eat. But if you buy fish from overseas, that’s what you are going to get.
Shaping the market
Rooted Farm’s Guess also was proud of the microgreens (young plants) his Oklahoma City operation grows for consumers to enjoy in salads and in other dishes. Guess said one thing he loves about local farmers markets are their seasonality.
“At a grocery store, you can buy a peach any time of the year. But, what you are buying has been selected for sale by the store for its
shipability and its shelf life. It wasn’t selected for its taste.”
Guess said he also celebrates farmers markets because they give consumers an opportunity to meet and directly interact with producers.
“At a market, you have an opportunity to shape your local foodscape,” he said. “And, you make an impact with your buying choice.
“Relationships and transparency are vital on both ends. We invite our customers to our farm. That enables us to better serve our customers because we get beneficial, enjoyable relationships with our customers, and it keeps us accountable on what we are doing.
“It really shapes the way we do things.”
Cody Yount, the manager of OSU-Oklahoma City’s farmers market, brags about all the products his market, at 400 N Portland Ave. in Oklahoma City, sells weekly throughout the year.
“Now, I’m biased,” Yount said, “and I am going to tell you that it is a good time to come every Saturday.
“But particularly, if you are looking for a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, now is a really good time.”
Yount said the OSU market typically draws about 50 vendors every Saturday. During the summer, between 2,500 and 3,000 people shop there each week.
“We’ve got a lot of innovators who sell a lot of interesting things people can find here,” Yount said.