Farmers Market
The windows to our seasons
One of my favorite times of the week is the weekly or biweekly trip I make to my local Farmers Market. Every week brings a bounty of new surprises such as breads, mushrooms, veggies and greens, and fresh flowers. They offer a glimpse to the changing world around us that we so often miss locked in dense concrete jungles. Unless you are growing your own veggies or live in a very rural region, most of the vegetables, grains, and fruit you are purchasing are coming from hundreds of miles away and being processed in ways unbeknownst to you. Here’s some reasons to make the switch to buying at farmers markets.
Seasonality:
Every trip to the market becomes a sort of adventure or teaching lesson. As you look around, you begin to see the start of something new paired with the end of another. After weeks and months later, you begin to notice the little things. What farms have the best of a specific herb, the discovery of new vegetable varietals you didn’t know existed, the feel of a perfectly ripe fruit. These little nuances make the weekly trips something to look forward to and transform them into a time to become more aware of how the world is changing around you.
Community:
Showing up and seeing a group of small business owners all together in one place bring a sense of inclusivity to your community. These farmers are the conduit that spark new relationships between you and your neighbors. You go every week, and the same faces become more and more evident. You begin to have an actual conversation with the farmers and learn what, why, and how they grow their product. Conversations about family and work ensue. Cooking tips and clever uses become commonplace. Just as you become more connected to the things you are putting into your body, you begin to become more connected to those surrounding it as well.
Environment:
As everyone knows, our environment is on the brink of - if not already - total destruction. Industrial farming, pesticide run off, and plastic use cause the global temperature to be rising at alarming rates. Industrial farming and the raising of livestock are of the largest contributors to this. Mass use of pesticides that ultimately run off into our water streams, wasted energy from seed to plate, and the draining of our available water resources in high drought regions will have ever lasting benefits. Buying locally, helps to offset those disasters. Even if farms are not organic, which is a topic for another day, they are almost always pesticide free. Many farms are using compost which helps to reuse discarded food, organic matter, and animal waste that would otherwise end up in a landfill ultimately emitting methane gases. Finally, one of the biggest advantages, you eliminate single use plastic and packaging. Plastic is impossible to destroy and unknown to most, many plastics are not able to be reused or recycled.
Attending and buying from your local market is an easy and fun way to get out, be a part of your community, and help the planet. You’ll feel better about the food you’re making and ultimately be more invested in it. “But where do I find where my local farmers market is?” you might ask. Luckily for you, the USDA provides a place to search for markets in your area connecting with the info you need. Follow the link below and go buy some veggies.
TLDR: help yourself, help your neighbor, help the planet. Buy local.
