What to Buy at the Farmers Market in September

Happy September friends! This week is another addition to our “what to buy at the farmers market this month” series. September is a great time for produce with a lot of them flourishing this time of year. But what tends to happen is as kids go back to school, families get into “normal” life routines, and out of summer routines then there’s a decrease in attendance to their farmers market. I’m hear to tell you though, those farmers are still able to provide you with fresh and local goods and we would still love to see you. This episode I’m going to be adding in some recipes that I like to make that you may find fun to try.

September Produce

I love getting ready for fall vegetables. September is a fun month at the market because towards the middle and end of the month new fall and winter produce will start making their appearance. Don’t get me wrong I love summer fruits and vegetables but it’s always fun to look forward to the new produce seasons.

• Tomatoes-BLTS, sliced and mixed with cottage cheese, diced for tacos and salads.
• Sweet corn
• Peppers-of all varieties, from sweet, to bell, to jalapeño. Cheese stuffed jalapeños are always a hit, especially now that football season is upon us.
• Okra-breaded and fried is the way we go.
• Cucumbers-pickles and various cucumber salads are a hit in my house.
• Green beans-snapped, throw them in a skillet in a little bacon grease with some bacon and onion.
• Potatoes and sweet potatoes-sweet potatoes are finally able to be dug up and I love to slice them and make fries.
• Squash-zucchini and yellow squash have been in abundance since July but now your fall squashes will begin to show up. Acorn squash, butternut squash, and spaghetti squash are all great options starting to arrive this time of year.
• Eggplant-these will start to fade out but some farmers staggered them so they’ll still have them. We like eggplant parmesan of course and eggplant meatballs, eggplant stuffing, and eggplant casserole.
• Beets-pickled or boiled until soft, both are great options for enjoying beets.
• Carrots
• Greens/Kale/Lettuce
• Radishes-it’s a little soon for them but you’ll likely find them towards the end of September.
• Cabbage

FRUITS

If you’re wondering what fruits are in season in September this list will definitely help you out.

• Melons
• Apples
• Plums
• Blueberries
• Cantaloupe
• Watermelon
• Strawberries
• Blackberries
• Lemons
• Peaches
• Figs

FARMERS MARKET GOODIES

Canned and baked goods are incredibly popular this time of year and into October. I make fresh jams, jellies, and salsas towards the end of September and sell them in October and November. So you could start thinking about gifts now that you can find at your famers market over the next couple of months. I’ll be doing a whole episode on gifts you can get at the farmers market in the next couple of weeks too.

• Breads
• Meat
• Handmade items
• Soaps
• Lotions
• Jams and jellies
• Salsa
• Honey

We’re Still Here

I know that summer is coming to an end and normal routines typically take over but I’m still coming out to my local markets, your farmers are still providing produce and goods for their community. Farmers markets aren’t dried up by any means and we would so appreciate your continued support while we’re still here. I really enjoy checking out the farmers market near me even while I’m there with my own stand. If you check out the resources below you’ll find some great farm to table recipe ideas, a couple fall farmers market recipes, and our Cabot cheese giveaway!

Resources

 5 Reasons Why Farmers Need Vacations Too

Summer Squash Sausage Skillet

Butternut Squash Soup

37+ Things To Do with All That Summer Squash

How to Can Spicy Jalapeño Jelly

 

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