All summer long, your market shopping has paid off in the form of bright, colorful salads, luscious fruits, wholesome dairy products, and other deliciously farm-fresh ingredients. Good work. Market shoppers now have the opportunity to collect another dividend: knowledge. Every season, the Neighborhood Farmers Market Alliance sponsors a series of free tastings and chef demonstrations, and this year’s series is upon us. At 4 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 4, at the Lake City market, sample organic pasture-raised beef, pork, lamb, and chicken courtesy of Island Natural Meats (from Whidbey Island) and Thundering Hooves (Walla Walla). Local fisherman Pete Knutzen will also be offering tastes of his wild salmon, and recipes and meal ideas will be proffered by all three purveyors. On Saturday, Aug. 6, at the University District market, Skagit River Ranch, Whistling Train Farm, Growing Things, and Samish Bay will offer samples of their organic pasture-raised meats to shoppers at 10 a.m. Knutzen will be on hand again with his salmon; joining him will be Holly Huntress of Papa George with her fresh albacore tuna. Broadway market shoppers should mark Sunday, Aug. 7, on their calendars: At 11 a.m., Stimson-Green Mansion chef Craig Hetherington will perform the Iron Chef–like task of creating an original dish out of current market offerings. All events are free to the public.