OK, so you’ve gone to the farmers market and now you have a ton of stuff and your right arm feels like it’s going to pop out of its socket any second. You don’t have a handy cart like at the supermarket…. What to do?
Well, the whole question of bags at the market is an interesting one. Obviously, you need to bring or buy a big bag to hold all the little bags of produce, and then, you have to think about the little bags and where they are in the big bag because if you’re not mindful the 2 dozen ears of corn are going to go on top of the 6 heirloom tomatoes, which you put on top of the quart of cherries, oops, thus making bags of cherry and tomato goop/soup. A yucky waste and mess as well as a big disappointment when you get home.
Let’s tackle this from the inside out, smallest bag to largest.
First, there is a big movement among the green-aware not to use plastic bags. Those innocent-looking plastic bags often end up in the oceans, where they kill marine animals and in particular turtles (who think they are food because they look like a jellyfish when floating in the water) and seabirds (for whom they also resemble food). They are also wasteful of resources and energy, thereby increasing your carbon footprint. So many people now bring their own plastic bags – for reuse – to farmers markets and to supermarkets, rather than getting a new set each time. I find this works really well; I just drop my used bags back into my farmers market carryall each week and then I don’t forget them for the next week’s market. After you’ve used them a few times and they develop holes or get a bit dirty you can drop them off in the plastic bag recycling tubs available at Superfresh or Whole Foods and feel reasonably proud of yourself, and maybe even a tad bit smug.
Working up from the small bags, you need a big bag or basket for carrying your market goodies. I wish that I could carry a really elegant basket filled with an attractive assortment of perfect veggies because then I’d feel very chic and like Martha Stewart or Mary Jane Butters, but I need something big and decidely un-chic to handle the weekly farmers market goodies. North Star Orchards (http://www.northstarorchard.com/) provides beautiful reusable market bags for only $3; they are available for sale at their stand at the Oakmont Farmers Market. You can use any kind of big, sturdy bag and many supermarkets are now selling reusable market bags for a nominal amount. I’ve been seeing a LOT of Whole Foods reusable bags at our market, so I know where lots of folks must be shopping on days besides Wednesday…
But then, even those bigger bags or baskets get heavy and hard to carry, and then what? Well, you can always acquire the popular granny basket, seen frequently in cities but rarely in the ‘burbs. I’m always amazed at just how chic a New York or Parisian lady can look while dragging home the farmers market haul in these baskets, all the while in serious Louboutin heels. 
But with the classic granny basket you still have the problem of the heavy and relatively indestructable stuff (watermelons, corn, frozen bison steaks) ending up on top of the easily-squishable fruits and vegetables (and eggs….!).
I just found out about the new “hook and go’ cart; apparently it’s all the rage at the farmers markets in California (so expect to see them in Paris soon…). Very few farmers markets in city areas have parking areas nearby, so something like this bag-carrier works perfectly to trot the veggies to the car parked four blocks away. It can be folded and put in the trunk, and doesn’t weigh too much. Best of all, it keeps each item separate and therefore prevents the corn from squishing the peaches. It’s available by mail direct from the company (http://www.hookandgo.com/).
Happy Marketing!
Janet Chrzan
Oakmont Farmers Market Co-Manager