Our local community hosts a variety of Farmer’s Markets.  The most popular being the one in downtown Tacoma on Thursdays.  Unfortunately the Thursday market doesn’t start until late May making it nearly impossible for us to get some of the yummy early produce that is so prolific in Washington State.  The really good Rhubarb comes from my Grandmother’s garden (and on tiny little crop from my own).  Local Asparagus can be found at our vegetable store, but you often pay a bit of a premium for it.  I have to wait until May for delicious salad greens, fresh snap peas and a host of other tasty treats that either grow in my own garden or that are available at the market.

This year is a little different.  The fine folks at Proctor Farmers Market decided that it would be beneficial to close the market late last year and open it a little early this year.  Or so it seems to me.  Proctor (or N. 27th Street actually) opened it’s doors a few weeks ago to the tune of rave reviews.  Last year we visited the market on opening day and were sorely disappointed.  Not this year.  It took us a few weeks to find the time to make it down to the market, but wow, were we surprised.  This year we saw an increase of vendors selling none other than… food.  We aren’t talking just prepared food (although there are more of those and that’s great for that after hockey practice lunch).  We mean produce; meat, veg and cheese.  In our (reuseable canvas) bag we brought home breakfast sausage links and ground beef from Cheryl the Pig Lady, fingerling potatoes and a wonderful little cookbook from Leftfoot Organics, Valley Girl Tomme from River Valley Cheese and asparagus from a vendor that I cannot recall the name of.

The asparagus was on the menu for that night’s dinner.  The cheese topped my husband’s salad the next day for lunch and the rest… well it will we made into fine lunches and dinners for my family.

I have to say I was so impressed with the Proctor Market.  It is a great family activity for a Saturday morning or early afternoon and best of all, I got to shake the hand of those who fed me.  Doesn’t get better than that.