Do you know where your vegetables come from, what chemicals were used in their growth or how long ago they were harvested? The answer for most Americans is “no.” Buying your vegetables from a local farmers market answers these questions and gives you peace of mind.

Fresher, Seasonal, Healthier Food

Farmers Markets allow farmers to preserve the nutritional content of fruits and vegetables by harvesting at the peak of flavor. Fruits and vegetables are grown organically, with no added hormones or genetic engineering. Farmers can also offer varieties bred for freshness and taste, not shelf life. This means better food on your table. Depending on your area of the country, fresh, late season vegetables or winter harvests may also be available. Farm fresh eggs, farm made cheese, honey, nuts, jams and jellies and baked goods or crafts are increasingly available.

Guard the Health of Your Family

Buying at the farmers market eliminates agribusiness from the produce you eat. Allergic reaction, liver problems, reproductive problems and infant mortality are part of the increasing evidence that genetically modified foods are not good for your body. Since large commercial farming depends on the increased growth rate, increased yield, and insecticide resistance genetic modification provides, the resulting products may actually be harmful to your health.  Products from the local farmers market lessen these health risks.

Support the Local Economy

Shopping at the farmers market helps you save money 91% of the time and keeps it in your community. Farmers only receive pennies on the dollar at the wholesale market. By cutting out the middle men and selling to the consumer directly, farmers are able to keep costs low and still generate a profit. Studies show that 90% of the money made at the farmers market stays in the local community. Money generated in this way also remains in the community longer than money spent with large corporations.

Help Preserve Family Farms

Your farming neighbors critically need your support as they increasingly fall victim to land developers or commercial farming corporations. Your participation by purchasing their products helps to mitigate this continued threat and preserve a valuable way of life. By supporting independent growers, community members can increase economic opportunities for their community. Buying at your local farmers market helps preserve connections with nature, knowledge of weather and the seasons, and the satisfaction of growing food.

Environmental Protection

Local produce benefits from less time in transit, less refrigeration, less handling and less storage. This means less fuel and fewer impacts on the environment. More land devoted to production instead of food storage. More land providing habitat for wildlife instead of waste runoff into water sources. Local farmers use fewer chemicals to build up in the soil and no genetically engineered products, whose long term effects on the land are still unspecified. Local produce, and the products made with it, are far better for the environment.

Enhanced Social Atmosphere

Developing relationships with the people who grow your food leads to an enjoyable shopping experience that grocery stores can only envy. Meeting family and friends at the farmers market to spend an afternoon talking, tasting and gathering food, creates satisfaction from helping your neighbors, your community and yourself. Having fun at the same time as shopping is what makes the whole experience worthwhile. Buying at a local farmers market is a positive situation for you, your local farmers, the environment, and your community. A winning combination for everyone involved.