Enjoy Your Local Farmers' Market

Shopping at a farmers market can be fun, and also good for you and your community. Some of the many reasons for shopping at a farmers’ market include. The freshest foods are available. You can meet the farmer who grew your food. You can save money, especially on organic produce. Farmers markets also provide a livelihood for many farmers who might not be farming without the market opportunity.

Enjoy your time at the market. Take time to browse before buying. Take time also to compare the offerings of different vendors. Try new foods. Buy something you’ve never had before. Ask the farmer the best way to enjoy it. Never cook kohlrabi? At the farmers market, a grower can probably tell you how to select and prepare it. Chat with the farmers. Getting to know the local growers or farmers is part of the fun of shopping at farmers markets. You’ll become a wiser shopper.

After shopping go straight home. Plan to bring your purchases home before running any more errands. If you leave fresh produce sitting in a hot car it can wilt.

Farmers’ markets have different days and hours of operation so check that your local market is open before you leave home to shop. Here a few additional tips for shopping at a farmers’ market.

Bring your own bag. Bring a basket or a light shopping cart. Recycle plastic bags, by bringing them with you and asking the farmers to use them instead of theirs. Keep an inexpensive cooler in your car to keep produce fresh and safe during hot weather.

Shop early. You’ll find the best selection early in the day, so try to get there when the market first opens.

Go without a firm list. This probably goes against what you’ve learned in the past, but the point of going to the farmers’ market is to get the freshest possible produce. So plan on buying whatever looks best and plan your meals around your purchase.

Understanding Organic Food Labeling

While there is no research proving that organic foods are a more nutritious choice, the number of customers requesting organically grown foods in grocery stores and local markets has increased dramatically in the past few years. All 50 states have USDA-certified organic farmland, totaling more than 4 million acres of range, pasture and cropland. Walmart jumped into organic food marketing this year, taking organic foods from the domain of earth friendly foodies and farmers to mainstream America. Early organically marketed foods were fresh fruits and vegetables, Today, many packaged foods are also carrying organic labels which may be confusing to consumers. There are four categories of product composition of organic claims. These standards have been established and are regulated by USDA. If a product is sold, labeled or represented as “100 percent organic”, it must contain 100% organically produced ingredients. Products sold, labeled or represented as “organic” must contain not less than 95% organically produced raw or processed agricultural products. Any remaining product ingredients must be organically produced, unless not commercially available in organic form, or must be nonagricultural substances or non-organically produced agricultural products produced consistent with the National List. Products sold, labeled or represented as “made with organic ingredients” must contain at least 70% organically produced ingredients. If a product has less than 70% organically produced ingredients by weight or fluid volume, it may only identify the organic content of the product by identifying each organically produced ingredient and the percentage of the ingredient. There are no requirements for organic food to be grown locally. There is no definition for what local means. Farmers growing organically do not use synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. In some studies, pesticide levels in organic produce have been shown to be lower than conventionally grown. However, pesticides residues in conventionally grown foods were well below federal standards and thus are considered safe based on scientific studies. As organic foods become more common in food markets and prices closer to conventionally grown products, more consumers will choose organic foods. Expiration dates may need to be observed more closely as organic foods will not contain the preservatives in conventional foods. Eating organic is an alternative option that will continue to expand and as we look to more sustainable lifestyles, organic foods may be a choice you decide to adopt.