I don’t know about you, but I love the fall — it’s my favorite season. And I love farmerks markets in the fall! They’re full of pumpkins and winter squash, apples, pumpkin bread, candles, and so much more. If you’re heading to a farmers market or local vendor event this fall, here are a few things to look for:

• Apples — fall and apples go hand in hand. Depending on where you live, local orchards may offer everything from tart baking apples to crisp varieties perfect for snacking. At farmers markets, look for apple cider, apple butter, and apple cider donuts. Local vendor tip: ask which apple varieties were grown locally and what they recommend for eating versus baking. You may discover varieties you’ll never see at a regular grocery store.

• Pumpkins and winter squash — pumpkins might get most of the attention, but fall markets are often full of beautiful winter squash, too. Look for butternut, acorn, delicata, spaghetti squash, kabocha, pie pumpkins, and other locally grown varieties; they’re perfect for roasting, soups, and curries.

• Sweet potatoes — roast them, mash them, turn them into soup, add them to breakfast hash, or bake them into pies and breads. They’re inexpensive, versatile, and keep well, which makes them one of the easiest seasonal foods to bring home from the market.

• Fall greens — fall is a great time for greens, and depending on your area, you may find locally grown kale, collards, Swiss chard, mustard greens, and more. P.S. They’re also an easy way to balance out all those cider donuts!

• Pecans — fresh pecans are worth seeking out here in the South, where you can buy them by the bag or find them in pecan pies, roasted nuts, granola, and more!

• Honey — while it’s not exactly a fall crop, autumn is a great time to get to know your local beekeepers. The flavor and color of honey can change depending on what was blooming when the bees collected nectar, which means local honey can be surprisingly different from one producer—or even one season—to another.

• Fall baked goods — local bakeries and cottage bakers often change their menus with the seasons, so fall is the time to keep an eye out for apple pastries, pumpkin breads and muffins (my personal favorite!), maple-flavored treats, and spiced cookies. Buying from a small baker also lets you find things that aren’t produced on a large enough scale to ever make it onto a supermarket shelf, so you can be sure you’re getting something one of a kind.

• Flowers, wreaths, and fall decor — the fruits and baked goods are everyone’s favorite, but not everything seasonal has to be edible! Local makers may have mums, sunflowers, wreaths, pumpkins, pottery, candles, and other fall goods.

One of the Best Parts of Shopping Seasonally: You Never Know What You’ll Find

A farmers market or local vendor fair isn’t like walking into a grocery store — and that’s part of the fun. Some things sell out. Harvests change. A baker might bring a new flavor one weekend. So in addition to the things on your shopping list, take a look around and ask vendors, “What’s good right now?” You might go home with something you never planned to buy, and the great thing is you’ll know exactly where it came from.

Find Something Local This Fall

Whether you’re looking for a nearby farm, farmers market, baker, maker, or seasonal vendor, Local Vendor Lookup makes it easier to discover small businesses and local producers in your community. This fall, see what’s being grown and made close to home.

Author: Marcia