Farmers Market Delight

This past weekend I visited a local farmers market with my family. The experience was really exciting. There were lots of local farms and businesses displaying and selling their home grown yumminess. There were tons of people and a buzz filled the air as an amateur musician played her guitar. The farmers quickly sold out of popular items like eggs and chicken. These were two items I was also interested in. Now I know to get there sooner!

Farmers markets are a wonderful place to support your community and have some fun! The items sold at the market may even be priced lower than in the grocery store. Score! Farmers markets are also green, but not in the way you would expect. When purchasing produce at the grocery store we (or at least I) don't really think about where they come from. Oranges...hmmm...I guess Florida? So, to get those yummy oranges, for instance, a truck has to make its way to your neck of the woods. By purchasing from your local farmer, you are helping to reduce the pollution caused by the many miles that grocers truck put on just to get you your out of season, out of area, grown fruit. Also, minimal packaging is used when selecting produce at your farmers market. However, purchase from a grocery store, and those fruits and vegetables may be pre-packaged, for convenience, but ultimately adding to our landfills. And remember those oranges? Well, when you are visiting your local farmers market and you don't see those yummy oranges, but you do at the local grocery store, ask yourself why. Either they are out of season or are not grown in your area, hence the many miles put on that grocery store truck. The fact that they may be out of season and still are showing up makes me wonder what is being done to make these fruits and/or vegetables think it is their growing season.  Sketchy.

So, as the summer winds down and fall approaches, enjoy your local farmers markets. Try new and interesting fruits and vegetables and have fun!

Have a Healthy Day,

Jessica


http://www.loudounfarmersmarkets.org/
http://www.localharvest.org/catoctin-heritage-farm-M24790
http://www.chicamarun.com/index.htm
http://www.localharvest.org/haskins-family-farm-M20435
http://www.potomacvegetablefarms.com/