"Take a taste of any available samples, including the misshapen tomatoes. "Unlike in the supermarket, diversity and flavor are paramount, but cosmetic perfection isn’t," says Farren.
"Bring a tote bag, because you'll cut your trip short if a plastic bag full of potatoes is digging into your hand.
"For the best selection, go as soon as the market opens. On the other hand, if you're making pies, sauces, or other dishes that don't call for blemish-free produce, go at the end of the day to scoop up damaged goods, which are usually marked down, says Amy Nicholson, a farmer from Geneva, New York, who sells fruit at several farmers' markets in her area.
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