The Lost Compass: July 2012

Why follow a compass that's lost? The Lost Compass is for people who can't stop travelling, who always seek out the next destination. It's for those who'd rather take a backroad than the Interstate; who wonder what happens when you get off the beaten path and look up an odd nook or cranny. It's about finding the little gems, wherever they may be hidden. It is for those who embrace travel as an experience - not stopping just at a tourist trap, but finding a local cafe, bookstore, or dive bar to stop and talk to the people who make up the town. What happens when the compass' needle spins off you the beaten path? Keep reading to find out.

01 July 2012

Daytrippin: NC State Farmers Market

In this installment of Daytrippin, I'm taking you on an adventure to explore the NC State Farmers Market. Why? Because my husband has laid down the law, put me on a budget, and I need to find organic, growing-belly friendly foods WITHOUT busting the budget every single week at Whole Foods! Because farmers markets are known for some cool, crazy, even oddball local or heirloom varieties of produce. (Have you ever seen a PURPLE bell pepper before this post? Yeah, neither had I!) Because this past Wednesday was the last day before the epic heat wave that sent my car thermometer soaring well over 100 degrees; therefore, it was the last day I could spend hours outside without wanting to melt. And because supporting local farmers, local agriculture, small businesses, and the locavore movement all in one stop? As Martha would say, it's a Good Thing.

Purple bell peppers, Walker Farms, NC, Raleigh, farmers market, taken by Lynn Shallue at Lost Compass

PURPLE bell peppers??? Another good thing!