Fall brings some of the most intense flavors to your local farmers market, including watermelon, apples and the first offerings of winter squash.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that 1 million people visit farmers markets each week. They offer people face-to-face contact with those who grow their food, plus a chance to eat food that may be just hours from picking.

It's an experience rarely had in a corporate grocery store.

On the other hand, locally grown foods may come at a premium compared to their store counterparts.

Do you know how to take advantage of a farmers market? Dietitians Cindy Brison, with the Douglas County Extension Service in Omaha, Neb., and Alice Henneman, with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension in Lancaster County, agreed to help analyze some recent farmers market finds.

Henneman offered this recipe as one of her favorite ways to combine the flavors of the farmers market and bring it to the table. She's also the author of The Garden Grocery: Food Safety & Selection at the Farmers' Market.

For a list of farmers markets across the country, click here.

Farmers Market Finds