Farmers' Market at the Capitol

Hooray for farmers' market day!

For a few weeks in the summer, our local farmers' market sets up at the Capitol one day a week during lunch. It's wildly popular with employees, as you can imagine. In addition to selling fresh vegetables, a vendor also brings a variety of ready to eat salads, which always sell out quickly.

A few years ago, a former First Lady pushed for the farmers' market days at the Capitol in an effort to promote health of the workforce. It's also nice because the market is another choice for lunch. They're are only a handful of eateries within walking distance to the Capitol. Driving to get lunch isn't always feasible, since parking lots for employees are generally pretty far from the building. With a hour for lunch, walking ten minutes each way to get to your vehicle takes up a huge chunk of lunch break. We do have a cafeteria at the Capitol, but most people simply brown bag it most days.


Customers looking over fresh local melons and peaches.

Today at the farmers' market, the Commissioner of Agriculture was giving away freshly grilled local corn. A long line formed right away, but it moved pretty fast.

Agriculture Commissioner Gus Douglass handing out ears of corn

I love it that some people think it's important enough to go through the trouble of organizing and setting up a farmers market at the Capitol to offer local and healthy food to employees. I know it must be a lot of work. I also think it's great that so many employees look forward to the market days, and take advantage of the offerings. Many buy items to take home and cook for dinner like green beans, squash and new potatoes. The prices are reasonable, and while normally I bring my lunch, I'll take it over buying something at the cafeteria any day.

My delicious lunch

For lunch, I had a free ear of corn, and a juicy and delicious yellow tomato. Today is the first day of my August Challenge, Reverse Meatless Monday, so this was the perfect lunch. The corn was so sweet! I didn't even put any butter on it. I am really looking forward to many meals just like this one this month!