Did you know that the first farmers’ market originated in Lancaster, Pennsylvania in the mid-1700s? These enterprises have been providing food to communities since long before supermarkets were a common convenience. Despite the popularity of grocery stores, there are still 8,000 farmers markets in the United States – and for good reason.

These local farmers markets boost the economy, protect local agriculture, and provide nutritious food to the entire community.

Benefits of Farm-Fresh Produce

Participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), a federal food program for lower-income families, have redeemed more than $20 million in benefits purchasing produce from local farmers. SNAP partners with local growers and operators to offer access to nutritious food and security for the entire community.

When you purchase fresh produce from the farmers market, you:

• Contribute to a healthy, sustainable environment
• Support animal welfare and preserve natural resources
• Reduce or prevent chemicals from entering the ecosystem
• Support food equity

Let’s take a closer look at why local farmers markets matter.

Find Organic Items in Abundance

Most organic crops are grown without synthetic materials, pesticides or harmful fertilizers. The USDA reports that organic produce has fewer pesticide residues than conventionally grown produce, so you know your food is free from synthetic additives. Additionally, you’ll find less genetically modified food (GMO) products and support more humanely raised livestock when you shop at a farmers market.

Vendors at farmers markets are selected by location, quality and whether they meet ecological or certified organic status.

Bring Home Perfectly Ripe Produce

The key difference between farmers markets versus supermarkets has to do with transportation. Most farms that supply produce to grocers pick items while they’re still unripe. Then, they transport them an average of 1,500 miles from farm to store.

When farmers reduce long travel times, they can harvest precisely what’s ready for consumption in the season. Those who sell at farmers markets significantly shorten the distance from farm to table, so you can purchase recently picked, perfectly ripe fruits and vegetables. Plus, you can support the environment, as lower distances equal fewer carbon emissions.

Farm-Fresh Food Is Flavorful and Nutritious

Produce begins to lose its nutritional value after harvest. This process happens for several reasons, but it’s mainly because the fruits and vegetables undergo respiration, where they break down organic materials. Unlike supermarket shelves stocked with produce that traveled for days and sometimes weeks, you can find farm-fresh produce at farmers markets that are much fresher.

Additionally, locally-grown food is picked at peak ripeness, supplying the sweetest berries, crispest apples and juiciest tomatoes for your next barbecue.

Farmers Markets Support Individuals and Communities

By supporting local farmers and food businesses, farmers markets strengthen the economy:

• They support entrepreneurs and small business owners.
• They create local jobs that directly invest in the health and financial security of the community.
• They encourage partnerships between rural and urban community members and food providers.

Here’s more information about how farmers markets make a difference in communities.

• 1. Reduce Your Community’s Carbon Footprint

When you grab your reusable grocery bags and head to the local farmers market, you can feel good knowing you’re supporting the environment in more ways than one. First, many farmers sell their products with minimal packaging. Second, over 60% of farmers and vendors travel less than 20 miles to the farmers market, reducing air pollution. Many farmers who sell at local markets use healthy soil practices like reduced tilling, cover cropping and compost application, as well.

• 2. Financially Support Your Community and Small Business Owners

Did you know that farmers and ranchers receive less than 15 cents of every dollar spent on their produce at conventional stores? In contrast, you can significantly benefit your community’s farmers by shopping locally. By selling direct to their local consumers, farmers can cut out the middleman to earn more money. When you invest in your local market, you invest in your community for years to come.

Farmers Markets Offer a Greater Selection Than Supermarkets

Aside from fresh fruit and vegetables, farmers markets offer an incredible assortment of homemade goods, ready-to-eat meals and handcrafted items.

• 1. Discover Hard-to-Find Produce Options

Due to shelf life and transportability, some produce tends to travel poorly, so grocery chains don’t stock them. You’ll discover hard-to-find vegetables like red carrots and green garlic at local farmers markets, which you can’t always purchase at supermarkets. Expand your cooking skillset and learn something new — ask vendors about their favorite recipes and seasonal varieties to try.

• 2. Find Something for Everyone at the Farmers Market

Farmers markets offer so much more than fresh produce. They’re an immersive experience for the whole family to enjoy! Invite your friends and meet up with neighbors to stroll through all the sights, sounds, smells and activities that only a farmers market can deliver.

Read Also: The Role of Farmers Markets in Sustainable Agriculture

Breathe in the aroma of freshly baked bread, coffee, smoked meats and aged cheeses. Listen to the vendors sharing their favorite recipe ideas. Take home the perfect gift like handcrafted goods made by local artisans, or surprise that special someone with a colorful wildflower bouquet. While you’re at it, treat yourself to that shoofly pie you’ve been eyeing all afternoon.

• 3. Purchase Ready-to-Eat Meals for the Family

In the hustle and bustle of work and home life, meal prepping has become a popular way to save time and prepare healthy meals for the week. Farmers markets have you covered — from Pennsylvania Dutch fare to Italian dinners, local vendors offer a wide range of ready-to-eat meals to enjoy there or at home. With some markets providing the convenience of curbside pickup, your dinnertime plans are solved after a quick drive.

Socialize With Your Community at the Local Farmers Market

Get to know your neighbors at the market. Local farmers markets provide a town-square-like hub for entertainment, socializing, fostering food initiatives, increasing civic engagement and promoting food equity.

• 1. Spend Time With Family and Neighbors

Like a hometown diner or drive-in theater, some places become historical, magical spaces that forge memories and strengthen a sense of community for a town’s residents — and farmers markets are no exception. Nothing brings people together like food and fellowship. A visit to the farmers market is the perfect opportunity to mingle with your neighbors, friends and family for an afternoon.

• 2. Experience the Great Outdoors

Most farmers markets are set up outdoors, so you can soak up the sunshine and breeze while you select the perfect apples for your pie. Look forward to your spring, summer and fall weekends with trips to the market for groceries, meals, flowers and more.

• 3. Create Memories With Friends and Family

Maximize family time this summer and awaken the senses with new sights and smells, fresh air and bustling shoppers’ energy. Encourage curiosity and learning in your children — let them pick out their vegetables and ask them to name the different varieties they see as a fun game.

Farmers markets create family memories on-site and even at home — when you return from your trip, wash and prep your finds together at the sink. Let the kids clean up vegetables and transfer berries to a bowl, and watch them glow with a sense of accomplishment as they joyfully proclaim, “I picked that!” around the dinner table.

Grocery Store Produce vs. Farmers Markets: What’s the Difference?

Visiting the farmers market is not the same as going to the grocery store. Chatting with local farmers, perusing vendors, and spending time outside might feel far more thrilling than wandering the aisles of your favorite supermarket. You may have also observed that the fruits and vegetables available at these two locations differ.

Is one source better than another? Here’s what you should know when comparing farmers’ market products to grocery store fruits and vegetables.

Freshness Can Differ

• Winner: Farmers markets

The next time you pick up a fruit at the grocery store, take a look at the label to see where it’s from. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports that the U.S. receives fresh vegetables from more than 125 different countries. In fact, about 77 percent of fresh vegetables are imported from Mexico alone.

“The most significant difference between grocery store and farmers market produce is the freshness,” says Rachel McKennon, a former farmers market manager. “You will not find imported, out-of-season produce at your farmers market. Instead, you’ll find only seasonal produce often grown using heirloom seeds and sustainable growing methods.”

Another key difference that determines freshness is how long it takes for the produce to be harvested and brought to your dinner table. “Farmers market produce is typically harvested within a day or two,” McKennon explains. “Since produce starts to lose nutrition after about a week, this means the food is more nutritious than the produce from your local grocery store.”

From harvest to purchase, the less time and distance your produce travels, the better for the environment (and your tastebuds).

You Can Learn About Your Food’s Origins

• Winner: Farmers markets

One of the cool aspects of farmers markets is getting to meet the people who worked to harvest your food. This gives you the opportunity to ask any burning questions you may have for the people growing your produce. 

“At your local farmers market, you’ll likely meet your farmer face-to-face,” says McKennon. “They’ll be able to tell you about their growing practices and if they’re really focused on long-term sustainability.” Chatting up your local farmer can help you learn whether their produce is organic, even if it doesn’t carry an official label. 

“At the grocery store, those organic certifications cost the farmers a lot of money,” explains McKennon. “Only large farms can afford that sort of certification.” This opportunity allows you to ask about a farm’s growing practices straight from the source and become a more informed consumer.

Pricing Can Vary

• Winner: Varies, depending on what you’re looking for

Another factor to consider when shopping for produce is price. After all, groceries are expensive! While there isn’t an exact answer for whether produce is more affordable at grocery stores or farmers markets, there are some key points to be aware of.

Firstly, consider the quantity of produce you’re buying. While the price at grocery stores might be lower, you could be getting less product. That’s because grocers often strip produce and sell it in lower quantities. A farmers market might cost a little more, but the produce won’t be trimmed down and you could end up getting more for your dollar.

Additionally, a key difference in pricing is the actual supplier. Grocery stores can source from multiple suppliers and price the items accordingly. At a farmers market, you’re dealing with different vendors with individual pricing. This means you could see multiple vendors sending the same produce items, but some will cost more than the other.

It might require some browsing on your part to see which ones help you get more bang for your buck. Pay a visit to the grocery store and your local market to get a feel for the pricing. Some additional factors that may also influence pricing of produce include:

• Organic product labeling
• Pre-packaged produce versus bulk produce pricing
• Extenuating circumstances, such as crop loss, that force local farmers to raise their prices

Shopping Can Be More Convenient

• Winner: Grocery stores

The hours and days a farmers market is open can vary depending on where you live. A farmers market may only operate once per week in some towns, which means your only option to get fresh produce for dinnertime is at the grocery store. The convenience of being able to shop for items whenever you need to is the ultimate convenience grocery stores provide.

Another added convenience to grocery stores is being able to find produce that may not be offered at the market. Things like tropical fruits and vegetables can be hard to come by at markets if they can’t be grown locally, so grocery stores are a good go-to source for certain produce. It’s also a one-stop-shop allowing you to check off all types of items from your shopping list.

Farmers Markets Support Local Businesses

• Winner: Farmers markets

When you shop at a farmer’s market, you’re helping the community and its farmers thrive. That’s because money spent on local produce has a direct impact on a vendor’s livelihood. Chef Stephanie Harris-Uyidi says that farmers get a lesser pay cut at farmers markets compared to grocery stores.

“Farmers markets can be a great resource for families to get superfresh, in-season produce for less because they cut out the middlemen who can take up to 92 cents of every food dollar spent,” she says. “On the contrary, farmer’s markets take only six cents from every dollar a farmer earns.”

McKennon says research shows that more of the money you spend at local businesses stays in the community. “This means that your local produce is fresher, more environmentally friendly, and often cheaper than organics in the store; it allows you to invest in your community and your health at the same time.”