The Day I've Been Waiting For!

The Farmers' Market is BACK... okay, so it never really went anywhere and there were a few brave farmers who stuck it out all winter long, as did I, but I can hardly contain my excitement! Spring is the third season I am watching unfold through the lens of vegetables, fruits, flowers, and the hard-working farmers who harvest our good earth to bring it all to us. I feel like a member of a secret society or club. Getting to know each farmer, chef, and owner of some of the best farms, restaurants, food shops, and bars throughout the Triangle (and now the Triad) is not only an honor, but a great pleasure! It brings back fond memories of my great grandfather's farm in Maine. He had huge gardens and rolling fields of blueberries. I can't begin to imagine how difficult it must have been to take care of that much land, and after he passed away, it turns out no one else could imagine it either, but that's a story for another day.

I just knew the Farmers' Market was going to be special this weekend. Last weekend one of my favorite chefs in Durham served a Early Girl tomato. Ask anyone, it was the highlight of my week! Eek, that sounds dorky, but I really did talk about it all week long. Up until that tomato, I had only heard rumors about how great NC tomatoes are. Then that same chef told me that strawberries are in season so he was making strawberry margaritas for a private tour we ran on Friday night. I've been waiting for strawberries!

Perry-winkle Farms Wild Flower Boquets

Now for the sad part, I didn't bring my camera, and that was the only picture I took at the market. I fell in love with those flowers. That's what I imagine for my centerpieces at my wedding - fresh, colorful, wild flowers in mason jars, but I digress. I snapped a few pictures when I got home from the market so that I could remind myself of the treasures I found:

Couldn't resist the strawberry tart and cinnamon bun

I kinda LOVE these flowers

Last weekend I got up close and personal to some Jersey Cows on the Piedmont Farm Tour. It seems as though I'm blogging about a week behind, so I guess y'all can wait a couple of days to hear that country story.