It feels a little bit like cheating.

Let me explain. My town has a terrific farmers’ market every week with all sorts of amazing produce and treats. I love it. I have my favorite stalls and always know where to go to find exactly what I need… and many times unexpected surprises I didn’t even know I was looking for. But like many good things in life, it comes to an end. Our market is outdoors and runs from May to October and then, sadly, I am left poking around the supermarket produce.

Enter… my Winter Market!

My fit friends, knowing me so well, often ask how I will find fitspiration in the bagged lettuce of my local store. Not to worry! We here in central Ohio have several options and I visited this one yesterday. If crowd size is any indication people are definitely “hungry” for their farmers’ market year-round.

And they had BEETS!

One of my favorite things about going to any farmers’ market is that you never know exactly what’s going to be there. Oh you can guess pretty well based on what’s in season, but there is always a surprise or two there, and that’s what makes the market so special. My grocer actually does have good produce, but the fresh surprises and extra treats? You have to experience those at the farmers’ market.

Like these red scallions, for example…

I mean, come on! The farmer that had brought these to the table had a proud little smile on his face when I asked him about these beauties. It was obvious; as much as we love buying/cooking/eating the bounty of their gardens, they love sharing it with us.

So… “cheating?”

OK, OK, so maybe I’m being a bit dramatic when I say I’m cheating on my market, but there is definitely a sense of adventure, an surge of adrenaline, when I go to a new market and I like it. I really like it. It’s a feast for the senses. I know right away if there are stalls that have the kinds of produce that I want, if it’s worth my time. They have bright, colorful vegetables that call out to me. My brain immediately starts putting into motion my meals for the week. My fit friend Linda says that she likes going shopping. NO joke, she actually likes grocery shopping. But I get it. I think it’s the same thing I feel about finding a good farmers’ market. It inspires you. It makes you want to take the basic, simple, clean foods and do amazing things with them. If this makes me a cheater, then call me guilty.