Post # 2: To Market, To Market!!

Today I headed to the Farmer's Market in my adopted hometown of Naas. Its located in the parking lot of a fancy-schmancy restaurant near the center of town. There aren't too many stalls, maybe around 12, but there is a good variety of stuff available there. When I arrive I usually make a bee-line for the organic veg stalls, which supply veggies grown on a local organic farm. This kills two birds with one stone from my perspective: (1) local produce is better for the environment because it doesn't need to travel as far, which means its fresher for me (and anyone who calls for dinner :) ) and (2) organic produce is devoid of the nasty chemicals that is poured onto a lot of fruit and veg found in the standard shops. I worked as a grocery manager in an organic fruit and veg department when I lived in PG, so in that role I gained an appreciation for how much better the organic stuff tasted compared to the chemical-laden alternatives (especially bananas!) well before I started reading about the health benefits.

View walking into the market

Organic produce isn't as widely available here as it is at home in Canada so Farmer's Markets are a great way to get locally grown produce. The market in Naas is fantastic as it has more than just the veg stalls - one where you can get potted organic plants and herbs, delicious cheeses (with the best goat's cheese ever!), organically grown fish, a noodle bar, a stand with every type of anti pasti you could fathom, fancy-dancy chocolatiers, all-natural bakery and a coffee stall where I usually get a yummy cup of java for the drive home.

Yes, four different types of potatoes!! It is Ireland after all :)

I didn't bring my camera so only took a few pictures with my phone, but I'll try to remember to bring my beast next week and get pics of each of the stalls. It is a really lovely place to start the day.

Anyway, back to the veg stall I love. I only took a couple of pictures but you can see the variety of organic produce (mostly vegetables) available. I mostly go for the local stuff, like onions, potatoes, leeks, lettuces, sweet and regular potatoes, but there is a lot of organic veg brought in from Holland, such as the artichokes and a few varieties of apples. There is also a lot of organic whole spices available too. I haven't been able to bring myself to buy tumeric yet. Have you seen whole tumeric before? It reminds me of a young insect and kinda creeps me out. Think I'll stick to the ground version for the moment :)

It was a lovely morning I really enjoyed, and I'm looking  forward to the yummies I'll enjoy with my local organic treasures :)

Peace,

Jenn x