Baby, it’s cold outside. Yes, winter is here, and the Olympia Farmers Market will keep you company. You can fill your larders with a pleasing abundance of produce while browsing numerous crafts, arts, and other creative endeavors. It is the perfect time to find vegetables for savory soups or stews. Bread, cheese, wine, scarves and other essentials await you, too.
Market days in December are both Saturdays and Sundays through December 22, 2024. Then everyone gets a brief end-of-year break. Vendors are back on Saturdays beginning January 4, 2025 and continues until the next season starts the first full, 4-day stretch in early April. Aisleways have toasty heaters radiating warmth. If you stop by the Market office, you can receive a ticket for a free warm drink.
Find Lush and Fresh Winter Produce in Olympia
Squash, pumpkins and gourds are all members of the Cucurbitaceae family. Usually, gourds are for ornamental use. Squash is meant to be eaten. All pumpkins are squash but not all squash are pumpkins. Fortunately, there’s no need to get confused. Squashes are multi-purpose. Scrape out the seeds for roasting. Do let the seeds dry out a few days before roasting into delicious snacks. All they need is a touch of olive oil and a dash of salt. Bake the rest to make a soup base. When you cook the halved squash in its skin and the roasting is complete, the meaty inside is super easy to scoop out. Whirl in a blender with stock or variety of your preferred milk, season and heat. Your soup is quickly ready and delicious. Bonus tip: Finish your bowl of pumpkin soup with a dash of eggnog for added flavors.
Other amazing soup/stew ingredients available at the Olympia Farmers Market are leeks, carrots, onions, shallots and potatoes in a rainbow of colors. Greens like kale and chard are also versatile. You can slice them to ribbons for hot dishes like stir-fries or soup. A big handful practically disappears while cooking. It’s a clever way to get more greens into your eating plan. Cabbage is another workhouse vegetable. We all know slaw, which makes a great side dish, and is a perfect topping for tacos. I especially like red cabbage cooked with sweet and sour flavors (lemon juice, brown sugar and butter) and eaten warm. Ribbons of cabbage work in soup, too.
Late season fruits including pears, apples and cranberries will sweeten your winter recipes. When your frozen berry supply for smoothies or salads dwindles, switch to cranberries. They are a bit tangier and quite festive. Bake apples or pears in a splash of water or juice until tender. They can be reheated and topped with ice cream for dessert or be sliced into your breakfast oatmeal. Warming spices like cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and ginger are good any time of year. Brown sugar, raisins and nuts are more options.
Mushrooms of all sorts can be added to omelets, salads, and casseroles. You really won’t know what you are missing until you buy then cook them. Consider taking home a package of nutritious microgreens. Eat them alone as a snack, pop them between other sandwich ingredients, top your salad, and simply have fun with their powerful tastes.
Spice Up your Dark Days at the Olympia Farmers Market
Now that you’ve found ample produce, check out a few of the other edibles. Hot Babe Hot Sauce comes in various levels and flavors. Bring a taste of the Caribbean or Trinidad and Tobago to your grilling and other cooking. Experiment with sauerkraut and sipping vinegar.
Have you tried mead? What are you waiting for?
Your Source for Local Bread, Cookies and Treats
Bakery goods at the Olympia Farmers Market are numerous. Select a loaf of bread for breakfast toast and luncheon sandwiches. How many delights can a baker make with a bit of wheat? From sweet to savory, the vendors get up early to make a tantalizing assortment. You can even bring home special treats for your pets. Remember there are meats and cheeses, too. Of course, everything you find at the market is fresh.
Artisans of Clothing, Home Décor and Personal Care
I can point to items of clothing, household goods, soaps and lotions in my home that all came from the Market. It feels good to support local businesspeople. Usually the purchases are environmentally sound, too, with less or no packaging and upcycled materials.
Saturday Outing at the Olympia Farmers Market
With reduced daylight hours at this time of year, cheer up your body and mind by going outside and making your way to the Olympia Farmers Market. You will find real food, real people and make connections with others. Utilize a piece of your Saturday to walk through the Farmers Market to see what’s new. Sip a warm drink as you check out the vendors, farmers and artists. As always, the lot north of the market has free parking. Downtown street parking is free on the weekend, too.
Read about news with the Olympia Farmers Market newsletter. You will find information on the Market’s Instagram and Facebook locations.
See you there.
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