One opportunity in Harrisonburg that many students don’t take advantage of is the Farmer’s Market downtown. For prices lower than those at the supermarket you can get access to delicious produce, baked goods, coffee, flowers and more – all locally grown. My favorite stand is the North Mountain Produce stand from Timberville, VA. You can get a generous bucket of fresh vegetables for only 6 dollars. Go with a friend and you can get two for just $10! Our friends at North Mountain Produce have a large variety of products from green beans, beets, broccoli, cabbage, cucumbers, eggplant, lettuce, onions, sweet potatoes, and my favorite – summer squash. They only use natural or organic pest control methods and do not grow any genetically modified crops. I love talking with everyone who works at their stand, and at all the others, because you can learn about some great recipes as well as the family stories behind some of the businesses.
Lately I’ve been practicing making different types of stir-fry because you can do this with most any vegetable you have. I gradually add in ingredients to a skillet based on how long they take to cook – starting with onions, potatoes, or eggplant and working up to peppers, summer squash, and green beans. Another delicious and easy meal is to grill up slices of eggplant and serve with goat cheese and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.
I usually visit the market between classes on Tuesday, however the most popular shopping day is on Sunday. From April through Thankgiving the market runs on Tuesday and Saturday from 7am to 1pm. You can also check their calendar online for winter hours and their events schedule featuring local musical talents.
I hope some of you feel inspired by this post to check out the Farmer’s Market in downtown Harrisonburg. It feels great to give back to the community, support local produce, and eat healthy!
Address:
228 South Liberty St.
Harrisonburg, VA 22801