The Ann Arbor Farmers Market is an exciting, vibrant, bountiful place to shop!  It is also a very different environment from traditional grocery stores.  Follow these tips to ensure a wonderful Farmers Market experience:

*Stroll around the market to get a sense of everything available before you begin your purchasing.  Each vendor has different products, and it is nice to take in the "big picture" before you begin shopping.

*Experiment!  What better place to try a funny-looking pepper, or a new flavour of jam.  Why not pay a visit to the market in January, to see what wonderful seasonal items are available?

*Take your time!  This is your opportunity to ask a vendor their favourite way to cook buffalo, or learn how much water that beautiful new plant may need.

*Bring a cooler with you, for perishable items such as eggs, meat, and delicate greens.

*Come early;  often vendors sell out of their most special products by mid-day.

*Bring recycled plastic bags to hold wet vegetables, reusable plastic containers to protect berries, and canvas totes to hold your loot.  Reducing market waste and buying locally produced goods go hand in hand!

Shopping at the Farmers Market is a wonderful way to get beautiful food and handcrafts from the people who make them, visit with friends (new and old!) and truly delight in the bounty of the season. 

                                                        See you at market!