Why You Should Support Your Local Farmer’s Market
Are you wanting to support your local farmer’s market but don’t know where to start? There is a good chance that your local farmer’s market has been around for a long time, which is a reason in itself to visit. I wanted to share some reasons why you may want to head over and make a few purchases from the place that supports everything local! So, why should you support your local farmer’s market? Let’s find out! Be sure and have a really good cutting board: Totally Bamboo Cutting Board
Why You Should Support Your Local Farmer’s Market
To visit a farmer’s market, you really need to know WHAT they are. If you can picture a whole retail space full of various tables and booths that are ready to sell homemade items, homegrown fruits and veggies, and anything else you can imagine. Here is why you’ll find me shopping at the local farmer’s market.
#1. Fresh is best
I’m not lying when I talk about fresh fruits and veggies, they are simply the best. There is a huge difference between getting your hands on fresh and trying out frozen. Most of the fruits and veggies sold at the farmer’s market are also sold by the people who grew them. Aside from having your own garden, buying from the farmer’s market is the second best! If you don’t have access to fresh fruit and veggies, this is the way to go.
#2. Supporting local
I know many of us want to support local companies, which is why heading to your local farmer’s market is a good idea. When you support local, you are supporting local businesses and farmers. It’s refreshing to know that your hard-earned money is going right back into your local economy. How to Support Local Farmers
#3. The products are good
Those who have a booth at a farmer’s market know how special the products and food on display are. Those who sell at a farmer’s market want to have a positive reputation, so you already know the products are going to be good and sold with pride. If you’re thinking about supporting your local farmer’s market, know that the products are good! You can even make your very own delicious salad.
#4. Make connections
When you go to the grocery store, you aren’t quite making a connection with someone that grew or made the product. When you go to the farmer’s market, you are able to make a connection with someone who actually made or harvested the product. Spending time at your local farmer’s market will help you see the hard work that goes into making, growing, and selling products.
#5. Know where your food comes from
Do you even know where your food comes from? If you don’t, then it may be time to head to your farmer’s market. You’ll be able to walk through, talk to the farmers and makers of the products. You will get to know where your food comes from, and from there, you’ll feel better about what you’re eating and what you’re feeding your family. There is something so satisfying about knowing where your food comes from.
#6. You’ll discover there is a variety out there
Stop eating the same fruits and vegetables over and over again from your local grocery store. Instead, take the time to visit a farmer’s market and you’ll be amazed at the variety out there. You’ll notice that not all fruits and veggies come perfectly round. Instead, fruits and veggies come in many different shapes and colors. You may also notice that your produce lasts longer.
#7. See What’s Offered
There’s nothing better than fresh corn on the cob, right? Having it Non-GMO Organic is even better!
I bet if you were to head to the local farmer’s market, you wouldn’t even believe they have the items that are offered there. Of course, there are fruits and veggies there, but there is also a list of other items that are available. Here is a starter list of some of the products you can find at a local farmer’s market.
- Meat
- Homemade bath products
- Gourmet foods
- Baked products, like cookies and cakes, and even pies!
- Garden supplies
- DIY products
#8. Experience something new
If you’re tired of the same old thing, then perhaps it’s time to experience something new. You can experience something new and not even need to go very far. Experiencing something new may mean just walking through the farmer’s market to see what they have.
You don’t have to buy anything the first time you go. Just look around, and if you see something you like, come back next time and buy it. After this pandemic, you might need a few new places to go and I think this is an excellent experience to give a try.
Final Word
As you can see there are many reasons why you should support your local farmer’s market. I’d love to hear the reasons you’re heading to your local farmer’s market and what some of your favorite items are. May God Bless this world, Linda.
Copyright Images: Corn On The Cob Deposit photos_79494310_s-2019, Farmers Market Deposit photos_7085413_s-2019, Farmers Market People Shopping Depositphotos_82037832_s-2019, Farmers Market Depositphotos_49896057_s-2019, Tomatoes Depositphotos_190073046_s-2019
I love shopping at a farmers market, but what I like even better is stopping at a roadside stand where I know the offerings are grown by that farmer. I do not like the farmers market where I now live because about 90 to 95% of it is trucked in from out of state and the people selling are trying to pass it off as local. Even their prices are higher (close to the same as in the grocery store). Very few here actually sell their produce at the local market. There are several people selling eggs, but again, their prices are even higher than the grocery store. Therefore, I don’t shop at my local farmers market, but will stop at a roadside stand when I find one. It’s sad that these places allow trucked in produce from out of state and try to pass it along as local in a high tourist area. Just my feelings and views.
Hi Pam, I’m glad you mentioned this about trucking in food. I live in Southern Utah and the last time I went to our Farmer’s Market, I noticed crops (fruit) that would never be grown here. Sure enough, they were trucked in from California according to the boxes. I remember driving to local farmer’s stands in a city called Brigham City, Utah. They were the real deal. Great comment, Linda
Just a comment on the farmers-market eggs being priced higher than grocery store eggs. Bear in mind that grocery store eggs are normally from a factory-type facility–yes, sadly, even the organic ones. You may need to do some checking on eggs (as you did to find produce being shipped in to your farmers market and sold as local!) but someone raising layers in a free-range or rotated-pasture facility does have more work, and the distinct possibility of more losses via predators, than the CAFO facility–so their expenses are higher–but the eggs will be more nutritious as well as fresher, and the hens will have a far better life. (Ask mine!–even if I did lose two young pullets to a raccoon last night…)
Farmer’s markets are great for checking out a bunch of farm’s products all at once. But around here they are highly seasonal and lately they are restricting us to one person in a party among other pandemic related measures. That said, it’s a great way to figure out what farms have products you like and then you can see if they have farm stands which will have much better hours. Our local Apple farm has a great variety of local produce and other edible products from around the state. They even opened early this year, normally they wait till July or August some years, but they opened early June. Fresh Apple juice and baked goods are awesome, and even last year’s apples are very tasty since they have controlled storage to keep them pretty fresh until the next crop starts to come in.
And the next town over has a more commercial farm store that is open year round if our local stand is closed. They still have lots of local produce since they have lots of fields in production, but a lot of produce during the winter and spring are from abroad – fortunately they mark all their produce bins as to origin. So it’s definitely worth checking around you for local producers and see if they have stands or full blown stores….after you’ve checked out the farmer’s market to get an idea of what’s the best place to shop at. 😉
Hi DmWalsh, great comment. I need to get our check around our area, I live in a desert so I haven’t seen a lot of options. Good tip for all of us, Linda
Definitely check around since deserts are great places for intensive greenhouse farming. Actually greenhouse farms are great anyplace there is abundant energy and the weather isn’t conducive to outdoor fields. Iceland gets most of its produce from greenhouses fed with cheap energy from their geothermal fields. It was weird to find out that they have hot water piped into the capital (Reykjavik) from their geothermal systems and it’s available in homes and businesses as a regular utility like cold water and electricity.
Another good point about farmers markets is that you can make connections for a long-term relationship with a farm you like. Ask if they have a CSA program, where you pay early in the year for produce (sometimes meats as well) delivered, or by pick-up, throughout the year. Or you may find a farm where you can order bulk beef, pork, or chicken (for example, a half or quarter of beef) for your freezer. Some places provide recipes for less familiar produce, or have canning classes. Think of the farmers market a a starting place!
The farmer’s market in my city is a permanent one – has property, buildings, etc. It is pretty large as well. I know that some of the produce is brought in from around the state but I am OK with that as long as it is grown in the state. If I am going to buy things from other states, Canada and Mexico – I’ll go to the grocery store!!
One thing I do love about the FM here though is that if I get there first thing in the morning (Fri, Sat, Sun) I can see the vendors washing off the fruits and veggies that were picked that morning! Also, most will remove the parts that I don’t want (i.e., the tops of carrots) as I don’t have a very accessible place to compost – I would need to store the compostable materials then take them to another place to turn them in for composting.
I have also gotten to know some of the vendors pretty well. We have a company (small) that makes sauerkraut to die for! We also have food vendors who make some pretty awesome treats as well as a couple of bakeries and meat markets that sell at the FM.
It is a wonderful way to spend some time on a weekend!
Hi Leanne, I need to get my act together and look for a few more FM or co-ops. I will ask around, great tip! Linda
Living 5 miles from the Missouri River I grew up with our local fisherman sitting at the gas station selling fresh fish from the back of their truck. Other days their would be a truck with fresh corn or other products. Miss those days but there is a small Farmers market in town. Farmers in the river bottom sell their own things from their house so we can pop by and grab what we need.
Hi June, I need to venture out and find some in my area. It sounds so fun! Linda