Happy Father’s Day to all of the dads out there. Another week has come and gone. I hope it was a good week for all of you. It was a strange week in my household. My boys and I spent most of it isolating after a covid exposure. (We’re all clear.) It felt like a week of Sundays. 

 

But I still managed to get quite a bit done, even with two teenage boys constantly saying, “I’m bored.” It’s amazing. You just suggest that they clean their room if they’re bored and suddenly, they find a multitude of other things to do to keep themselves occupied. It works every time.

I always feel a bit like I’m being unfaithful. I mean, I have a perfectly good garden at home. Why should I stray?

 

Because these local markets go hand in hand with your own garden. Even if you have the most glorious vegetable patch at home, I would encourage everyone to occasionally check out your local farmer's markets. 

 

It’s a great way to try new varieties of vegetables without having to grow them yourself. And if you find you enjoy something quite a bit, you can plan to grow it next year. I discovered my favorite white Japanese turnips at a farmer's market. 

Boy, if you want to know what pests are a problem in your area or how the weather has been affecting the growing season, talk to the growers at a local farmer's market. These guys know it all and are usually quite happy to share information. 

 

Of course, one of my favorite reasons to check out farmer's markets is that I come home with plenty of items that I know will never grow in my garden – handmade soap, honey, and locally brewed beer, to name a few items. 

 

I guess I’ll just have to be patient and wait for that eggplant, but in the meantime, I’ll enjoy the kombucha and the fresh eggs I brought home.