Buying Local: Week 4

Once again we were out of town and missed Saturday’s market, but this should be the last time we miss it for a bit, plus our CSA share starts on Saturday!

We got back from our Memorial Day weekend trip on Monday night, so I didn’t get to go shopping until Tuesday. I stopped at Local Foods and then picked up some strawberries from the farmers market on Wednesday. Those aren’t pictured because I immediately cut them up for breakfast.

What We Bought:

• Pork Chops from Butcher & Larder in Local Foods
• Carrots from Local Foods
• Asparagus from Local Foods
• Black Raspberry Jam from Bushel & Peck’s in Beloit, WI
• Popcorn from G.H. Cretors in Waukegen, IL
• Honey from Ames Farms in Delano, MN
• Strawberries from Nichol’s Farm in Marengo, IL

What We Learned:

• Buying less processed milk lasts longer. I bought milk last Monday and its sell by date is not until June 6th.
• Real strawberries are much tinier than your typical strawberries on steroids that you get at a standard grocery store, but they taste SO MUCH BETTER!
• I have to do a lot of separate trips for our food instead of doing just one run every week. Sometimes Local Foods does not have what I need and Mariano’s does, or I would rather get produce at the farmers market.