It’s Farmers Market Season!

Every year, about this time, area farmers load up crates filled with greens and drive them from the country where they’re grown into Dallas where they are chopped up, sautéed and stewed to smithereens. The farmers come with kale. They come with Swiss chard. They come with collard greens and the intention to come week after week with more of the same. The spring market scene can test your love of leafy vegetables, but despite the surplus greens, there are other things to be found at local markets — more than enough to keep your culinary interest.

And this year, there’s a small change at one of biggest local farmers markets outside of the mega market downtown. Your familiar White Rock Local Market has a new name, to be unveiled this weekend when organizer Sarah Perry kicks off her seventh season.

Good Local Markets is an organization that has been set up to oversee a number of local farmers markets in the Dallas area, under Perry’s supervision. White Rock Market will still take place every other Saturday at the Green Spot, while the Lakeside Market will veg up alternating Saturdays at Lakeside Baptist Church. The Vickery Meadow Market, which was added just last year, will take place Sundays at the Half Price Books parking lot on Northwest Highway. For addresses and times, be sure to check out the new Good Local Market Website.

And don’t worry, there’s more than hearty, cold-weather greens. Eggs and meat are available, as are radishes and other spring vegetables. Brazos Valley Cheese, Cita’s Salsa, Empire Baking Co., Fisher Family Farm, Good Earth Organics, JJ&B Jams and Jellies, Noble Coyote Coffee Roasters, Texas Honey Bee Guild, Texas Worm Ranch and others will keep that reusable market bag you love to carry stocked with a wide assortment of food products.

And there will be greens. Did I mention there will be a lot of kale? Soooo many greens.