I Love My Farmers Market

I was so happy. Yesterday was the first day of the full farmers market in my town. While the organizers had kept it open all winter, the first Saturday in May marked the re-opening of the full-size market featuring twice the number of vendors.

While I have to admit that my local farmers market isn't nearly as photogenic as the one in Downtown Portland, I still have a special fondness. As regularly as we can, my husband and I make it our Saturday morning ritual to head over to the farmers market to buy pesticide-free produce, freshly baked bread, free range meats, and hormone-free dairy products. It's always fun to see the vast array of locals with their reusable bags, smiling and thoroughly enjoying the shopping experience. And it's always encouraging to hear how invested the farmers are in their products, how much passion and thought and care goes into the production of their fruits, vegetables, meats, or dairy products. It makes me realize how removed our "normal" food shopping experience is from the source.

Your local farmers’ market is a great source for whole, natural (sometimes organic) foods. Not only are farmers’ markets an excellent way to support healthful farming, and reduced fuel usage (less transportation is involved in shipping the products) you can’t beat the freshness of fruits and vegetables picked that morning. Food from the supermarket just never tastes that flavorful. For a listing of farmers’ markets in your area, look in your local Yellow Pages, or check out the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) interactive map.