June is when the farmers market stops being a nice idea and starts being a genuine necessity. The months of "hang in there, spring's coming" give way to a market table situation that is, frankly, overwhelming in the best possible way. Here's exactly what's happening in June — and how to shop it well.

What's in Season at the Farmers Market in June

June is peak strawberry season for most of the US. If you've only had a grocery store strawberry in January, you owe it to yourself to experience a market strawberry in June — smaller, darker, smelling like actual fruit. Eat them the same day you buy them. Make jam with the rest. Strawberry jam from a local cottage food vendor right now is about as close to perfect as a condiment gets.

Cherries arrive in June — sweet Bing and Rainier varieties in most regions, with sour cherries coming in late June and July. Cherry season is short and moves fast — the window is roughly six weeks across the country. Blueberries are just starting in most regions and will hit their peak in July. Find a vendor who grows them and get on their text list. Peaches are arriving late June in the South and parts of the Southwest. A tree-ripened peach is so different from the grocery store that they barely feel like the same fruit.

The Vegetables Worth Getting Excited About in June

Zucchini and summer squash have arrived and will be everywhere for the next two months. June zucchini is young and tender — eat it before it becomes the thing your neighbors leave on doorsteps in August. Zucchini fritters, stuffed blossoms, grilled with compound butter, raw ribbons in salads. Cucumbers are showing up — thin-skinned, genuinely crisp, requiring nothing more than salt and a squeeze of lemon. Basil hits its stride in June: full, aromatic leaves with high oil content. Make pesto. Freeze it in ice cube trays for December. Green beans, snap peas (eat raw at the market stand — one of summer's great pleasures), and early sweet corn round out the savory June table.

Cottage Food Products That Shine in June

Look for: strawberry jam and preserves, lavender and wildflower honey, herb-infused oils and vinegars, dried herb blends, and fresh baked goods with seasonal fruit — strawberry hand pies, cherry scones, lemon blueberry loaves. And hot honey: local beekeepers are at full production right now, and the trend shows no signs of slowing.

How to Shop the June Market Like a Regular

Come early for the best selection on berries and anything in limited quantity. Come with bags that hold weight. Bring cash as backup. Taste everything you're offered. Talk to the vendors: ask what they're excited about this week, what's coming in two weeks, what they'd make for dinner if they were you. This is how you get the best food at the market, and how you become the kind of regular who gets a text when something special comes in.