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1. Treat Your Taste Buds – The fruits and vegetables you purchase at the farmers market are full of flavor and the freshest available. Produce is allowed to ripen naturally and then is picked and brought directly to you. Nothing tastes better than sweet corn picked a few hours before the market, brought home and cooked that very night! 2. Nourish Your Body – Produce loses nutrients quickly. The fruits and vegetables you see in the grocery store have often been on the shelf or on a truck for a week or more, greatly diminished in nutritional value. When you purchase locally grown food, you’re nourishing your body with foods rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Farmers also go to great lengths to make sure that their produce contains little or no pesticides and is minimally processed. 3. Protect the Environment – Food in the U.S. typically travels 1500 miles before reaching your dinner table, using large amounts of natural resources (particularly fossil fuels that contribute to green house gases in the environment) in the process. Conventional agricultural practices also utilize chemicals that pollute water, land and air with toxic agricultural by-products. Locally grown food is transported only a short distance and is usually grown using methods that minimize the impact on the earth. 4. Get in Touch With Nature – The fruits and vegetables available at the market are seasonal and are the freshest and best-tasting available. Each week will bring a savory surprise as you discover what’s new at the market. From tender asparagus and crisp lettuces in the spring, to juicy peaches and tomatoes in mid-summer, to bright pumpkins in the fall, you’ll enjoy cooking and eating with nature and develop a new appreciation of the natural cycles of the earth. 5. Support Family Farmers – Any farmer will tell you that farming is a tough way to make a living, susceptible to the winds of the commodity exchange and Mother Nature. Small family farms are vanishing too, gobbled up by large agribusiness or developments. These days, farmers are a vanishing breed. By selling directly to consumers at farmers markets, local farmers are able to cut out the middle man and get a fair price for their produce. You, in turn, are helping these stewards of the earth remain on the farm doing the work they love. 6. Know Where Your Food Comes From – Weekly trips to the farmers market are a great way to reconnect with the source of the foods you eat. Farmers are happy to talk about what they grow, how and when it’s grown, and why. Bring your kids so they can ask questions, too. You’ll all gain a new appreciation for what goes into bringing you that delicious and nutritious food. 7. Expand Your Culinary Experiences – Farmers markets offer a vast array of fruits and vegetables—much more than many grocers—thereby affording you the opportunity to experience the wonderful diversity of the plant world and to try something new! Most vendors, too, will be happy to give you suggestions on how to prepare the fruits and vegetables you purchase. 8. Connect With Our Community – Drawn by the allure of beautiful, fresh produce, home-baked goods, hand-made artwork, and free musical entertainment, the market has become “the place to go” on Thursday evening! It’s truly a community gathering place—a pleasant place to bring the kids, meet and greet friends and stroll among the vendors; a place where shopping becomes a pleasure rather than a chore. 9. Be a Patron of the Arts – In addition to fresh produce, our market is pleased to display the work of many talented local artists. From ceramics, to jewelry, to fabric arts, to woodwork, to gourd art, to paintings—there are many beautiful items available for sale to enhance your home or for that perfect one-of-a-kind gift. 10. Learn Something New – Attend a cooking demonstration, take a basket class, watch a woodcarver or ceramic artist, talk to the Master Gardener (on hand bi-weekly to answer gardening questions)—these are but a few of the opportunities to learn something new at the market! Be sure to check weekly and/or watch the local papers for announcements of upcoming demonstrations and events that you won’t want to miss! READ MORE:
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