Only at the Farmers Market.

Ever open your refrigerator only to find that your sick of everything in it? You go to the grocery store but everything bores you; you're sick of the same old selection. If only there were somewhere you could go for fresh and unique food. Well you should try the University District's Farmers Market, open Saturdays year round at the corner of NE 50th & University Way NE.

There you'll find not only fresh local produce grown organically by Washington farmers, but a plethora of other food items. Some of which are only available at the market itself and nowhere else. You'll also find the produce at prices lower than grocery stores like QFC. Last year a group of Economic students from Seattle University conducted a study where they learned that on average prices at the farmers market were 86% of prices at QFC. Food for thought in this harsh economic climate. The information booth at the market holds specific numbers and figures concerning the study, available to those interested in comparing prices.


So what kind of unique items will you find? At the Olsen Farms booth, you'll find grass fed beef and lamb fresh from the farm. And 23 varieties of dry land potatoes to choose from for your side dish. You're also getting the farmer's direct answers to any questions you might have. Angela, who runs the booth is also one of the main farmer's for Olsen Farms.
http://www.olsenfarms.com/


A regular patron of the farmers market and Olsen Farms booth, Pierre Mackag, loves coming to the booth because it's the only place he can buy small amounts of beef and lamb kidney, which he uses to make Steak and Kidney Pie. "Other places, like butcher shops, will only let you buy kidney in very large amounts. If they let you buy it at all. But here I can get as much or as little as I want."
Steak and Kidney Pie may not be right up your ally. But how do you feel about seafood? The Taylor Shellfish Farms booth is run by Shaun, and he's eager to tell you about the unique seafood items he has available. Such as their Totten Inlet Virginica Oysters, which were voted best oysters on the East Coast by Severe Magazine last year (they sell them to the East Coast). They're also the only place to find fresh 'dry packed' shucked scallops. As far as they know, nowhere else sells dry packed shucked scallops. They also carry Mediterranean Mussels, another hard to find delicacy.
http://www.taylorshellfishfarms.com/


And now a little something for the adults. If you've been interested in trying an all natural Wine or perhaps an uncarbonated hard cider, you might want to stop by the Rockridge Orchards and Cidery booth run by a man named Wade. Wade will tell you about his fine selection of all natural wines made purely from juice. He'll brag about the Tayberry wine, which he boasts is only available at his booth, and in Scotland, no one else in the country produces it. The Tayberry has a rich blackberry flavor, with a tart raspberry aftertaste. He also sells two varieties of delicious hard cider, regular apple and raspberry apple, which are all natural and uncarbonated.
http://rockridgeorchards.com/default.aspx




What I've told you about here is only a preview of the unique and appetizing items you'll find at the U-District Farmers Market. Hopefully I've peaked your interest into looking into a new source for fresh meat, produce, seafood, and drinks. Even if you don't see anything here that you like, you're guaranteed to find something you'll love if you check out the market yourself. But even if you don't care for the unique items, we can all agree that lower prices are appetizing enough to shop at the Farmers Market.

To learn more about the U-District market visit their website: http://www.seattlefarmersmarkets.org/markets/u_district

If you're too far away from the U-District, you can visit the Farmers Market website to find other markets in other neighborhoods:
http://www.seattlefarmersmarkets.org/