9 reasons why I prefer shopping at a local Farmers' Market

After our experience eating farm fresh fruits and veggies on our trip to Sequoia and from also discovering Swanton Berry Farm and reading up on their philosophy, I really wanted to support local farmers and the only thing on my mind was 'How do I incorporate eating fresh, local greengrocery into our daily life?' The answer to that question came in the form of farmers markets. Until then, I was shopping at the local big box grocery store for farm fresh produce and I still do but only for milk and meat. I'm a happy convert, shopping at the farmers market now! Here are some of my reasons if you would like to read..

1. QUALITY

This is a no brainer. The quality of whatever you buy at the farmers market is amazing. The produce is fresher, crisper, juicier, tastier and so much more flavorful and fragrant( as in strawberries actually smell and taste like strawberries) than the produce you would buy at any of the big box grocery stores. There are no added colors, 'sprays', wax that keep them from rotting and the proof is when you actually get them home and see that their shelve life is limited as opposed to store bought produce that almost look like plastic food to me now. 

2. What is in season now?

Have you ever tasted plums at the peak of their season or oranges that are so juicy that it is difficult to peel them without having your hands dripping with orange juice or cooked with cilantro that actually adds flavor as opposed to only adding a pop of color to an otherwise bland looking dish? There is something about eating what is in season that are locally grown, to get you in sync with nature. 

3. Free Samples!

This past summer, I made it a point to take my kids along to the local farmers market for our weekly grocery shopping, making good use of their time away from school. Before these weekly trips, my older son Sriman looked at fruits like his mortal enemy but after our outings, to my pleasant surprise, he would ask for a mixed fruit bowl once we got home. This slow transition happened because of the fruits samples the vendors laid out. He saw how adults and kids alike, got excited to try them and was willing to try it for himself and slowly he didn't mind asking for more samples and then graduated to fruit bowls! My younger son Nihaar is a different story though, we have to keep him away from the samples lest he eats so much that I feel guilty we did not buy enough from the vendor haha

4. Money well spent!

We all know how we go into a grocery store for milk and end up coming out with a cart full of stuff we did not want and a much lighter bank balance. The struggle is real! At a farmers market the only distraction you will encounter is that of watching other people making healthy choices and wondering how to incorporate those choices into your own diet. The temptation to buy that sugary treat or salty snack vanish.

5. Local Honey

The health benefits of consuming local honey are immense and what better place to find it than the local farmers market!

6. Flowers...aah the flowers!!!

I have made a ritual of having a quite corner adorned with farm fresh flowers in my home. If you haven't already read my take on fresh flowers here is a post I wrote. 

7. Farmer Input on the different varieties of produce:

There are so many times I did know what a particular veggie or green leafy vegetable is and asked the vendor, who most likely has a hand in growing the produce and he would guide me as to how to cook the item to get the most flavor out of it or what kind of fruit works best for juicing or jam making. 

8. Supporting your local community:

At a farmers market you are more likely to come across a musician playing at a stall, people handing out pamphlets for an upcoming event, activists spreading the word on their cause, bread artisans displaying freshly baked bread at a booth. Unknowing to you, all of it is connected in building a sense of belonging to your local community. 

9. Sustainability: 

Let us reduce the time it takes for our food to get to our tables. The time, effort, resources and money spent on getting exotic non-local produce adds up exponentially and works against our existence.

So go ahead, take a trip to your local farmers market and raise your bar on what quality produce means to you!

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