Get Thee to The Farmer's Market! (MSP)

[rp1760]

Just an FYI: Sweet, sweet, lucious, super sweet strawberries are here. Melt in your mouth juiciness. ate almost a whole quart on the way home. mmmm.....

[Davydd]

Find a pick your own place and get better strawberries at about 1/3 the price. Last week we picked 12 lbs in 30 minutes at Kathan's in La Crescent, MN across the Mississippi river from La Crosse, WI.

[getgot211]

http://www.bauerberry.com/

went there on Saturday. better than ones I've tried at the farmers market, and about $1.50/lb.

http://www.mda.state.mn.us/food/minne...

[salvage7]

But you also have to factor in gas to get there.

[Enso]

But you can get lots extra to freeze and have year 'round. Can't eat them fresh then, of course, but much more flavorful than what one gets at the grocery store.

[soupkitten]

ime if you buy in bulk from a farmer's market farmer (ideally a pre-order set up the week before), s/he will often cut you a substantial break on the price. it is worth asking around and establishing a relationship with the farmer. the year-to year relationship w the grower is one of the great benefits of farmer's market shopping and you wind up getting great deals when you are a valued customer. since i want the *best* product, not the cheapest, and don't mind paying someone else to pick & transport my berries (i get 1 day off a week), i'll keep buying at the farmer's market. i want the farms to stay around, & stay profitable for the farm family. a buck or 2 extra here or there is fine by me.

[getgot211]

point was, the ones I picked were the best. I have bought from several at several Farmers Markets.

and pick it your self places happen to be farms as well.

[rp1760]

I agree with your second sentence, but we were talking about berries from the Farmer's Market, not the grocery store.

[mn_praline]

I got a big green box of small, juicy, sweet organic strawberries from Mill City. So sweet, they tasted like they were dipped in powdered sugar. I tried a couple of different vendors--the bigger boxes seem to sell for about 6 dollars. The best box I bought was near the Black Cat stand, on the right, right when you get into the building.

[rp1760]

mmm...my sister - chef from san francisco - is in for the week for the 4th holiday. Brought her to Mill City. She was impressed - had forgotten how wonderful Minnesota summers and Minnesota produce are - she's sad she's too early for the corn!

[salvage7]

Which farmer's market?

[rp1760]

Downtown St. Paul - $5 a quart. Not cheap - but after factoring in bug spray for mosquitos at pick-your-owns and gas - almost a wash - unless you buy in huge bulk.