The 2016 Farmers Market season is just getting started, and we’re all waiting with anticipation for the fresh, local foods they’ll bring! But access to amazing local produce isn’t the only reason to shop at a farmers’ market. Farmers markets provide additional benefits that you may not know about, for your body, community, and wallet. A regular trip to a farmers market is one of the best ways to connect with where your food comes from. Meeting and talking to farmers and food artisans is a great opportunity to learn more about how and where food is produced. Read on for more reasons why you should check out your local farmers market this season!
1. Taste the difference.
Farmer’s markets offer the freshest food around—usually only hours from the field—so you get top quality, perfectly ripe flavor.
2. Help the environment.
Eating locally saves vast amounts of packaging waste and energy required to ship food around the globe.
3. Eat Seasonally
Farmer’s markets are filled with food that is fresh and ripe. Because it was grown locally, there is a good chance that the apple you buy from the farmer was picked a few days ago. This is virtually impossible in a big supermarket.
4. Become part of your community.
Festive and lively, farmer’s markets are social venues where you bump into friends and meet local farmers face to face.
5. Save money.
Buying from farmers eliminates the cost of the middleman and pricey shipping, so you get more value for your dollar. There are also many farmers that carry products that are not technically “organic,” (as this is a costly and often beurocratic-heavy process), but have many low-priced foods that are pesticide and herbicide free.
6. Find new cooking ideas.
Community chefs at the farmer’s market are often happy to share recipes for in-season foods.
Need help finding your local farmers market? Check the DMM Calendar for our list of markets!
