October is upon us yet again. Autumn has always been my favorite season and October is smack dab in the middle of the season. From my window I can see the leaves of the maple tree across the street just beginning to change color, though the ground is still bare. That will change in a few weeks though when the now green grass will be flooded with shades of red, orange and yellow, followed by drifts of white soon after.
Though I live off campus now and have not had a meal plan in years, I remember the smile that came to my face when I would enter the dining hall on the first day of October and see apple cider next to the soda machine. Breakfast, lunch and dinner; hot or cold. I drank it like there was no tomorrow.
And after Halloween, there was no tomorrow. Well, there was a tomorrow, but it was apple-cider free. Back to the usual drink selection. It was a temporary treat that I always took advantage of, just like the Oswego Farmers’ Market. Though it has been located in its usual spot on West 1st Street since mid-May, I, like many other students, only arrived in late-August. I missed out on valuable time and was not about to let that go to waste. When that first Thursday rolled around, I was excited to see what sorts of treasures were ripe for the picking.
As someone who shops and cooks for himself, I cannot help but pay attention to where my food comes from, whether or not it is nutritious and most importantly, if it tastes good.
And the food at the farmers’ market always tastes good, with very reasonable prices too. On a recent trip to the supermarket, I saw a display advertising grape tomatoes for $2.99 a container. “Wow! Look at the savings!” read the flashy sign hanging above the attractive display. I looked far and wide, but I couldn’t find any savings. Not when the same size container of tomatoes, in the same shades of red and orange and yellow, can be had for a dollar or so at the farmers’ market. For me, the decision was easy.
Often times, I go to the market with the intention of picking up only a few items, maybe a couple of eggplants and a bunch of arugula. When my arms are strained carrying the heavy bags filled with all kinds of fruits and vegetables too good to pass up, I’m really not disappointed with myself for straying from my original intentions.
If you cook for yourself, you can’t afford to miss such good food at great prices. Even if you don’t, it is worth a trip just to see what this town has to offer. Just like the cider, it won’t last forever. Take advantage of it while it’s here, because soon enough, it’ll disappear just like the barely still green leaves still hanging on the trees.
