Sunday Morning Visit to the Farmers Market

One of my daughter and my favorite weekend things to do is visit the Minneapolis Farmers Market located at 312 East Lyndale Avenue North.

We like to go very early Sunday mornings, around 7am.  There are less people and so it's easier to browse through the booths.

We visit the market from early spring to late fall.  This year, we are going to venture there in the winter to buy a Christmas tree.

No visit is complete without a smoothie for my daughter and a mocha for me.....

And the mini donuts are a must have too.....

Here are the things we purchased today..... nut bread, pickles, Honey Crisp apples, raspberry apple cider, apple cider, heirloom tomatoes and sunflowers.

We buy cheese and organic meats all season long and flowers in the spring to fill our outdoor pots.  We buy whatever vegetable is in season and we've even found a few gifts for friends from the textile/craft vendors.  Check out the Minneapolis Farmers Market website:  http://www.mplsfarmersmarket.com  Here you will find directions and hours, a list of vendors, recipes, what's in season and even a "fresh and local" podcast.  I've signed up for the once a week email so I can keep up with all of the new things that arrive each week.  I love that my daughter enjoys these early morning shopping trips too!

"By shopping at a farmers market, you support local agriculture, which has a great many benefits.  You keep farmers in your community.  You keep land from being sprawled with houses and shopping centers.  You have the experience of shopping in the farmers market, which is the new public square.  You support a lot of values when you shop at the farmers market."  -Michael Pollan