"This magical, marvelous food on our plate, this sustenance we absorb, has a story to tell. It has a journey. It leaves a footprint. It leaves a legacy. To eat with reckless abandon, without conscience, without knowledge; folks, this ain't normal.” - Joel Salatin, author of Folks, This Ain't Normal

Every day, we sit down at our tables to eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner with food that was planted and harvested by farmers. It's easy to forget this fact when our only relationship with food is a quick trip to the grocery store. That's why I'm getting excited about farmer's market season, set to begin on the first Saturday in June from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. at Riverside Park in Saranac Lake. I can't wait to see farmers up close and personal with the fruits of their labor, from rainbow-colored carrots to their funky-shaped tomatoes; locally-grown food just looks more interesting than in your typical grocery store. Though, I'm sure the sunshine at outdoor markets helps.

During the pandemic, I'll admit, I forgot about the amazing food network that is so close to home. For the last two years, my shopping trips to Aldi were quick and uninspired; I just wanted to get in and get out as fast as I could to limit my exposure to other people. Now, as the pandemic continues to recede, I'm finally ready to quit being a pandemic hermit. I'm ready to reconnect with people and with my food. I encourage you to do the same. The farmer's market is a great place to start! If you can't make it to a farmer's market or if you are looking for another option, head to Nori's Village Market. 

Nori's is a perfect place to stop and stock up on local produce, cheese, and meats from many of the same farms you would find at the farmer's market. I love shopping for picnic essentials here and heading over to Lake Colby Beach, Riverside Park, or if I'm feeling more ambitious, one of the Saranac Lake 6er mountains. On rainy or bad weather days, I love re-caffeinating or slurping down a smoothie at Nori's Riverside Café, a place I happily visit often. What starts as an intention to grab a quick drink and do some writing, usually turns into a full afternoon and lunch. I can't resist their grab-and-go deli items from sandwiches, wraps, hot meals, and vegetarian soups, all from local, organic, and natural ingredients. I'm salivating just writing about it. Nori's is a great spot to indulge in farm-fresh food solo or to catch up with that friend you haven't talked to in a while. Either way, you won't be disappointed. 

The taste of community can be experienced in many ways from farmer's markets to your local food co-op, but there is one experience that stands alone at the top: farm-to-table dining. This kind of food experience is different from buying food locally and making it at home.