Washington's license plates proudly proclaim the state as the "Evergreen State", which isn't just a bit of bravado in this case, at least as far as I've seen in Seattle and Western Washington. It's not to downplay the fact that wildfires are a very real issue here, as in many areas along the west coast, but there's generally a lot of humidity in the Seattle area much of the year between the abundance of lakes and small bodies of water along with the Puget Sound carving up the land. This bounty of hydration, however, leads to the lands being fairly fertile, and once you escape the sprawling suburban tendrils of Seattle you'll quickly find yourself among farmlands and progressively smaller, more rural towns. In about an hour's drive you can stand among vibrantly blooming fields of meticulously manicured daffodils dancing in the early spring breeze, or drop in for corn mazes and apple picking- there are an array of different farms and florists who welcome visitors from the Seattle area with open arms. For those not wanting to leave the city, never fear- there are regional farmers markets dotting the city, though not all of them are year-round like the Broadway Farmer's market in Capitol Hill. I've mentioned before that I tend to spend a fair bit of time in Capitol Hill, and the farmer's market is predictably timed for every Sunday at 11am to 3pm, which times out with my lunch break from work rather nicely. I've absolutely stopped to pick up a bouquet of flowers before darting off to another destination across town for a few hours, before properly getting them home and into a vase. Thankfully, it was still relatively cool out the last time I did such a thing, and the vendor was clever and kind enough to have a small bag filled with water rubber-banded to the bottom, keeping the flowers hydrated during their long commute to the safety of home.
Having spent most of my life living in a desert city, I only got small glimpses at the seasonal beauty of nature through a communal school garden in elementary, sporadic peaks at my grandma's tomato garden during visits back to her home in Ohio or the brambling bushes of wild blackberries growing at the farm, as big as my grandpa's thumb, which seemed inconceivably massive to my childhood brain. These snippets of nature's wonder piqued my curiosity, and farmer's markets provide an accessible, colorful way to take in the seasonal shifts and gawk at some of the varietals of otherwise familiar vegetables you might not have encountered before. If you're looking for groceries, it's even better to purchase them from your local farmer's market, as the food will generally be much fresher for having traveled far less of a distance to reach you, and will usually retain more nutrients. Flash freezing can do wonders for mineral retention, but few things beat the juiciness of a farm fresh tomato or the crispy crust on a boule of freshly baked sourdough. Plus, when it comes to accountability and food safety, it's hard to beat having the farmer standing right there to answer any question you may have. There's a pretty good variety to be found here, too, so don't let the larger Pike's Place draw you away from giving this market a fair shot. You can warm up with a delicious bowl of freshly made chowder, followed by a massive chocolate muffin so decadent you'll wonder if you might have died and gone to a better plane, not to mention the rainbow of fresh fruits and vegetables beckoning to go home with you and do delicious, savory and/or sweet things in your mouth. (that's what she said) There's mead for taking back to the hotel room or home, too, made by some very kind-hearted people.
Don't forget to say hi to Jimi while you're there!
