The US Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack has officially declared this week National Farmers Week. Farmers markets are "important nationwide outlets for agricultural producers." What's more, thousands of farmers markets offer "consumers affordable, convenient, and healthful products sold directly from the farm in their freshest possible state," which benefit people tenfold, economy- and health-wise. Most of us already know about the bigwig farmers markets in the Bay Area (e.g., Ferry Building, Civic Center, Noe Valley), but there are more of them out there. To find the farmers market nearest you, visit apps.ams.usda.gov.
For those of you uninitiated with the glory that is the farmers market, here's a recipe to help get you started: Farmer's Market Risotto with Zucchini and their Blossoms by Joanne Weir (, KQED's Joanne Weir's Cooking Class). Most of the ingredients for the "crest of summer" dish can be found at any farmers market.
