The Dirt: What To Get At The Farmers Market This Weekend

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Under normal circumstances the folks staffing Philly’s farmer’s markets are a hardy bunch. August’s temperature spikes, November’s frosts, and April’s rain showers don’t phase or slow down people who routinely deal with livestock and pull food from the very ground.

This weekend, however, they’re coming as close to taking a break as they ever do. Both Farm to City and The Food Trust have made the decision to close all of this weekend’s year-round farmer’s markets to prevent area growers from having to navigate what, at the moment anyway, are projected to be tough driving conditions. You heard right: no farmer’s markets this weekend in Rittenhouse, Chestnut Hill, Fitler Square, Clark Park, or Bryn Mawr. Considering the fact that many of these growers drive an hour or more to get downtown, market organizers are doing their best to make safe decisions for one and all. This week, instead of highlighting what to look for at your local farmer’s markets, I’m highlighting a few places to shop for local foods besides your local farmer’s market. Get your bread, get your milk, and stock up on snack food, because it’s time to hunker down, farmer’s included.

Co-Ops – Mariposa, Weaver’s Way, Creekside, and Swarthmore; all of our area cooperative grocers are great places to find local goods including local produce, meats, eggs, and dairy. Though co-op members typically get the best deals, even non-members can usually come in and shop. Even better? If you’re a member of a yet-to-open co-op—Kensington Community Food Co-op or South Philly Food Co-op— these other co-ops will typically honor your proof of membership as though you were one of their own.

Kensington Quarters – What more do you need besides a fridge full of bacon and eggs, a little ground beef for post-sledding burgers, or a few quarts of the best quality stock for a pot of soup? Not much, it turns out. Stop in to Kensington Quarters’ butcher shop to find the best quality local animal products, we well as pantry goodies like small production California olive oil, cured meats, and local cheeses.

Fair Food Farmstand – Holding it down in Reading Terminal Market since 2003, The Farmstand, and Reading Terminal in general, has seen its share of snowstorms. Stop in to this all-local farmstand for a mix of fresh produce, local cheeses, and dry goods like maple syrup for snow day pancakes. They even stock locally made treats like Little Baby’s and Weckerly’s ice creams. UPDATE: Reading Terminal Market has just announced that it is going to be closed on Saturday because of the snowstorm.