Produce doesn’t get much fresher than when it is picked from a garden, put in a box or basket and driven a short distance to a nearby market.

That is the recipe for success for the Fort Dodge Area Farmers Market.

This is the 42nd year for the market. This year’s version will debut on Wednesday. It will then be held every Wednesday and Saturday through Oct.17.

The market will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesdays and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays.

On both Wednesdays and Saturdays, the Farmers Market will be held in the parking lot of Graham Collision, 11 N. 25th St.

The market offers an ideal opportunity to buy fresh fruits and vegetables from local growers. Tomatoes are a staple of the market. And when the sweet corn starts coming in, the traffic at the market really picks up. Honey, eggs, baked goods and kettle corn are among the other goodies to be found there.

In addition to being tasty, all that fresh produce is loaded with nutrients that people of every age need.

The Fort Dodge Area Farmers Market is part of Choose Iowa. That is a program of the state Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship that promotes Iowa-grown and produced food.

A trip to the Farmers Market offers one other side benefit: the chance to meet old friends and make some new ones.

We encourage everyone to make multiple visits to the Fort Dodge Farmers Market this year. It provides an easy way to get some fresh food while supporting local growers.