Seattle is a great city to live in. Why? Because we have so many diverse neighborhoods, each with their own personality. My goal with these Farmers Market Special posts is to explore those neighborhoods, through the food they offer, and share them with you! Because the produce in Seattle is quite good. (I’m spoiled and also probably a little bit biased, but seriously! it’s gooood.)
For example, did you know that Washington state produces about 42% of the apples grown in the U.S.? That’s a LOT. So much so, that they named apples as the official state fruit in 1989.
It’s winter in Seattle right now, and although the produce stands at the market are looking a bit sparse, there are still some great finds. Here’s what to look out for:
Veggies:
Chards, Kale, Mizuna, Carrots, Pumpkins, Sweet Potatoes (yams), Winter Squash (acorn), Winter Squash (butternut), Winter Squash (hubbard), Potatoes, Sunchokes, Beets, Brussels sprouts, Celery root (celeriac), Leeks, Onions (yellow-storage), Parsnips, Turnips (root)
Fruits:
Apples, Pears
Herbs:
Garlic, Mint, Oregano, Parsley, Rosemary, Sage
(Note: This list is specific to Washington state and will likely vary from location to location. Before heading out to your local farmers market or grocery store, be sure to do a quick search to see what’s in season near you.)
I hope you’ll be inspired to go out and explore your own local farmers market. You never know what you might find!
Featured: Ballard Sunday Farmers Market, Seattle WA
The Ballard Sunday Farmers Market is the market in my neighborhood. It’s open all year-round, rain or shine. The market opened in Ballard in 2000, and was the first year-round market to feature farms and artisans specific to Washington State.