Wednesdays are one of my favorite days, not only because it’s half-way until Friday, but because it’s farmer’s market day. :) If you’ve ever been down to Camana Bay on a Wednesday between 10:30 and 5 p.m., you know it’s madness. Everyone is scurrying around Patrick’s stand trying to take the last bit of his eggs (which always sell out before noon) or they’re trying to get the best herbs and spices possible from Tammer or they’re lining up by the dozen for Clarence’s coconut water, straw and coconut included. Each farmer has their own style/specialty and they all bring something different to the table…for you to bring to your table. ;)
What’s even more neat about our farmer’s market is that just
opposite of the farmers (infront of Soles/Island Company) is the artisan’s
market (infront of the Discovery Centre). They have just as much to offer!
Angela Wood from Cayman Scents is the next best thing to Bath & Body Works
on this island, minus all the chemicals. She makes her own lotions, scrubs,
candles, sprays, soaps all from natural, eco-friendly ingredients and for
someone with skin sensitivities like myself, this is awesome. Not to mention
they smell AMAZING. Then there are the thatch ladies showcasing the Cayman
thatch baskets and purses, the Caymanite jewelry stand that sell the most
gorgeous cuts of conch, black coral and Caymanite I’ve ever seen. It’s all
worth seeing. It’s so celebratory to see artists showcasing their work, making
a living off of their talent and just makes you so grateful you live in a place
that allows these vendors to thrive so well.
Coming back to our farmers, make sure you peruse the stands first
to see what each farmer is selling. More than likely, a lot of them are
selling the same things, but some may be better quality (and cheaper!) than
others. You’ll also find that some farmers have a monopoly on certain things.
For example, I LOVE kale and there’s only this one particular farmer that grows
the exact kind of kale I like, so I always buy from him. Patrick is the only
one who sells an abundance (most of the time) of good quality eggs, so I always
buy from him. Tammer’s stand always has breadfruit, neezeberries, custard
apples, all the kinds of fruit you hardly see other farmers bring. Again, each
is unique. Check each one out! :)
Still don’t wanna go? I’ll convince you.
- It’s local. You really can’t get any better than that. Local means a lot of things, but specifically, you have such a huge variety of local produce to choose from each farmer that grew the produce here on your island home. You are buying something that is home-grown! It’s fresh, straight from the land to your plate. I never realized just how much Cayman was capable of as far as agriculture goes until I came to the Farmer’s Market. You would be so surprised to see the vast amount of things that can grow here, and with that in mind, knowing that I am helping my neighbor make a living to grow my food for me with the resources we share on our island home, that is certainly worth celebrating! I’m telling you, guys, agricultural tourism is growing.
- Think quality. You’ve heard it before, but you are, quite literally, what you eat. You can certainly bet that whatever is on the inside will most definitely show up on the outside, and I really didn’t understand just how true that was until I started focusing on food quality/eating real food two years ago. Sure, okay, yeah, I’m a “paleo-eater,” or have adapted the “paleo-diet” lifestyle, if you want to give it a label (click the link to read more about paleo), but to keep it real plain and simple and not mislead people with the word diet, I eat real food. Quality matters, people. Corn/grain-fed cows pumped full of hormones and raised in brutally tight spaces in a factory farm versus grass-fed cows left to grow and roam free on open land and live a natural cycle of life. Need I say more?
- Local is cheaper…sometimes. Did you see that? Sometimes. Guess what, guys. Cheaper does not always mean better. In fact, that’s never usually the case. However, buying locally does have an advantage on your wallet because you can usually buy more for far less than you would at a grocery store, who marks up the price in addition to the original price of bringing in the produce in the first place. Just remember, demanding the best quality in anything usually means spending more money and you are either committed to that the best that you can be or you aren’t. To be honest, yes, I will always spend extra simply because it is that important to me. I will be the one to buy a 13.00 dollar salad at the Brasserie (which only uses local ingredients) twice a week (I had to limit myself) and not throw a fuss because the quality is worth it. I will be the one to only do grocery shopping at Kirk Market because they’re the freshest and committed to organic produce. Am I always able to do this? No, I don’t have a rushing waterfall of money flowing from my wallet, so I stay committed to quality by budgeting very carefully what I can and cannot afford (more on shopping tips and lists in a later post). Secondly, I am not always able to cook for myself with my own ingredients. I do leave my house sometimes, guys. Sheesh. I don’t stress myself over knowing if a beef patty is from a grass-fed cow or not. I don’t worry if the vegetables I’m eating were sustainably grown or not. I go out to dinner and do the best that I can in any situation I’m in with minimal stress. All you can really do is make the best choice anywhere, anytime, any circumstance. ANYWAY, the takeaway from ALL of this is to try to pay more attention to where exactly your food comes from and make the changes you can afford to make and feel the difference in your body and even your mind. :)
- It’s fun! Maybe it’s just me, but I think going out on food explorations is fun. You become a modern day hunter and gatherer (yes, another paleo reference). I love to try new things in life generally, but especially when it comes to food. Going out to the market and seeing all these new vegetables I’ve never seen before and try them out for myself in my kitchen is an adventure in and of itself. Sometimes it’s a major fail, but most times, something really tasty emerges from these home-grown ingredients. :)
Go do yourself, your body, your neighbor, and Cayman some
good and visit the farmer’s market. Then, tell me how it was. After you do
that, walk across the street to the artisan market and get crafty with your
local artists. You’ll be so surprised at what you’ll find and how much you want
it all.
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