by Kym Byrnes
Every summer, I aspire to become the kind of person who has a real relationship with produce.
Not just the kind who buys a bag of spinach with good intentions and then lets it slowly become compost in the refrigerator.
I mean the kind of person who wakes up on a Saturday morning, grabs a tote bag, wanders through a farmers market, knows what is in season, understands the difference between a slicing tomato and a sauce tomato, and can confidently choose a watermelon without pretending to know what the thumping is supposed to mean.
This is the dream. And every year, right around June, I recommit.
After a long winter of grocery store produce shipped in from somewhere warmer, prettier and farther away, summer in Carroll County feels like an open invitation to do better. Suddenly, we discover farm stands, farmers markets, pick-your-own fields and roadside signs promising sweet corn, berries, peaches, tomatoes and all the things that actually taste like themselves when grown close to home.
We live in an agricultural county. We drive past fields on the way to work, school, errands and dinner. We know people who farm, garden and preserve. I’m talking about people who can turn a basket of local vegetables into something beautiful without panic-Googling “what to do with too much zucchini.”
I want to be more like those people.
I want to spend more weekends at farmers markets. I want to visit the farm stand that I always pass and think, “I should stop there sometime.” I want to learn what to do with the fresh green bundles that look so wholesome, yet intimidating. I want to find new recipes, eat more colorful meals and finally understand why people get giddy about a good peach.
But this is about more than my annual attempt to become a better eater. Buying local matters. It supports Carroll County farmers, keeps dollars closer to home and helps preserve the agricultural character that makes Carroll County feel like Carroll County. Farmers markets are not just places to buy lettuce. They are places to run into neighbors, ask questions, learn something new and feel connected to the people who grow the food we put on our tables.
Fresh food matters so much that it shows up in places we may not always think about. In this issue, our Q&A with Steve Lambertson of Carroll County Food Sunday touches on the real needs facing local families and the importance of access to fresh, healthy food. Good, fresh, locally grown food matters to all of us.
This summer, I am making the promise again. I will do better. I will visit the farmers markets. I will pull over for the farm stands. I will try the unfamiliar greens. I will buy the peaches. Maybe I will even grow one successful thing and act like I have conquered agriculture.
If you see me at the market holding a watermelon and looking unsure, please help. Here’s to a summer of cooking and eating tasty things!
