If there was a way to improve your health, your waistline, the environment, and your local economy all at once, wouldn’t that be fantastic? That’s precisely what you get from your neighborhood farmer’s market, though! Farmers’ markets have so much to offer in terms of benefits!

Below are ten benefits of visiting a farmers’ market for you and your well-being.

1. Fruits and Vegetables – Let’s be honest, we could all stand to eat some more fruits and vegetables. According to the most recent Federal Dietary Guidelines, the typical American diet consists of way more meat and carbohydrates than are needed and not enough fruits and vegetables. What better way to get more fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet than straight from the farm!
2. Straight from the Farm – Many times, the food at the farmer’s market was picked that morning or just the day before. It is fresher than anything you could get at a supermarket. Plus all the fruits and vegetables at a farmers market are naturally in season, which means they aren’t grown using artificial means like commercial farms would use to make sure they can supply it year round. The naturally grown fruits and vegetables will have more vibrant colors which means they will have more nutrients, and will taste better too!
3. Taste the Rainbow! – No, not Skittles®, we’re talking about fresh produce! It’s important to eat a variety of different foods, and what better way to eat different foods than to eat different colors. The variety of colors indicates a variety of nutrients, antioxidants, and phytonutrients that are essential to a well balanced diet and there is no shortage of variety at Farmer’s Markets.
4. Locally Grown – Locally grown produce isn’t going to use as many chemicals and pesticides as the huge industrial farms would. It’s not going to be transported long distances, artificially ripened, genetically modified, or anything else that happens with industrial farming that ends up stripping the food of essential nutrients, while at the same time adding harmful ingredients. Not everything you find at a Farmers’ Market will be certified organic, but it will be close to it, and it will be safer, more nutritious, and better tasting than anything that comes from an industrial farm.
5. The Road Less Traveled – Local food comes from local farms that are….well…local! That means they didn’t have to travel far, so they didn’t need to be covered in plastic or other preservatives. There was also less vehicle emissions. All of these things are better for the environment, and a cleaner environment is a healthier environment.
6. Meat and Potatoes – It’s not all disassembled salads at the Farmers’ Markets, they have the meat and potatoes too! Not to mention cheese and other dairy products. All of which are likely to be healthier than anything you could buy at the store. Local farmers are less likely to give their livestock antibiotics like the big industrial farms do to make the animals bigger. The animals are also going to be treated better and won’t be living in the overcrowded conditions that is allowed at the industrial farms, meaning the animals are stronger and healthier.
7. Fun in the Sun – Most Farmer’s Markets are held outdoors which means fresh air and sunshine! Some Farmer’s Markets might move indoors in the colder weather, but most are outside during farming season and the warmer months. So catch some vitamin D and enjoy the soothing calm of nature as you peruse the stands of local vendors.
8. Walk this Way – Not only can you enjoy the fresh air and sunshine as you shop for farm fresh and nutritious food, but you can log some extra steps along the way. Walking while you shop is a great way to gain some extra mileage. While you’re at it, park a little farther away, walk the strip a few extra times, take your time and enjoy the day!
9. Recipe for Success – If you buy something at a grocery store, chances are the high school kid working behind the counter isn’t going to be able to tell you what meals you can make with the food you just bought. At the farmer’s market, the vendors are often from small, family-owned businesses where every employee is intimately involved in the final product. You may not know what kind of dish to use celeriac in, but rest assured the person you just bought it from could probably give you a dozen different recipes for it! Healthy ones, too!
10. Support the Local Economy – Buying local helps to support your local economy. This may not be a health related benefit, but it does help to spur a healthy economy. Without the support of their community, local farmers would struggle to stay in business and they wouldn’t be able to provide all their healthful food to people like you. So in a way, supporting local farmers can benefit your health, albeit indirectly.

10 Reasons to Support Farmers Markets

There are many reasons to support farmers markets, from meeting the people who cultivate your food to enjoying vegetables at its freshest. These are but a handful!

1. Taste Real Flavors

The fruits and vegetables you buy at the farmers market are the freshest and tastiest available. Fruits are allowed to ripen fully in the field and are brought directly to you—no long-distance shipping, no gassing to simulate the ripening process, no sitting for weeks in storage. This food is as real as it gets—fresh from the farm.

2. Enjoy the Season

The food you buy at the farmers market is seasonal. It is fresh and delicious and reflects the truest flavors. Shopping and cooking from the farmers market helps you to reconnect with the cycles of nature in our region. As you look forward to asparagus in spring, savor sweet corn in summer, or bake pumpkins in autumn, you reconnect with the earth, the weather, and the turning of the year.

3. Support Family Farmers

Family farmers need your support, now that large agribusiness dominates food production in the U.S. Small family farms have a hard time competing in the food marketplace. Buying directly from farmers gives them a better return for their produce and gives them a fighting chance in today’s globalized economy.

4. Protect the Environment

Food in the U.S. travels an average of 1,500 miles to get to your plate. All this shipping uses large amounts of natural resources (especially fossil fuels), contributes to pollution, and creates trash with extra packaging. Conventional agriculture also uses many more resources than sustainable agriculture and pollutes water, land, and air with toxic agricultural by-products. Food at the farmers market is transported shorter distances and is generally grown using methods that minimize the impact on the earth.

5. Nourish Yourself

Much food found in grocery stores is highly processed and grown using pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, and genetic modification. Some of it has been irradiated, waxed, or gassed in transit. These practices may have negative effects on human health. In contrast, most food found at the farmers market is minimally processed, and many of our farmers go to great lengths to grow the most nutritious produce possible by using sustainable techniques, picking produce right before the market, and growing heirloom varieties.

6. Discover the Spice of Life: Variety

At the farmers market you find an amazing array of produce that you don’t see in your average supermarket: red carrots, a rainbow of heirloom tomatoes, purple cauliflower, stinging nettles, green garlic, watermelon radishes, quail eggs, maitake mushrooms, and much, much more. It is a wonderful opportunity to savor the biodiversity of our planet.

7. Promote Humane Treatment of Animals

At the farmers market, you can find meats, cheeses, and eggs from animals that have been raised without hormones or antibiotics, who have grazed on green grass and eaten natural diets, and who have been spared the cramped and unnatural living conditions of feedlots and cages that are typical of animal agriculture.

8. Know Where Your Food Comes From

A regular trip to a farmers market is one of the best ways to connect with where your food comes from. Meeting and talking to farmers and food artisans is a great opportunity to learn more about how and where food is produced. Foodwise’s seller profiles that hang at the booths give you even more opportunities to learn about the people who work hard to bring you the most delicious and nutritious food around. Profiles, articles about sellers, and a map of farms are also available on this website.

9. Learn Cooking Tips, Recipes, and Meal Ideas

Few grocery store cashiers or produce stockers will give you tips on how to cook the ingredients you buy, but farmers, ranchers, and artisans at the farmers market are often passionate cooks with plenty of free advice about how to cook the foods they are selling. You can also attend free seasonal cooking demonstrations by leading Bay Area chefs and evening classes on food preservation and other kitchen skills.

10. Connect with Your Community

Wouldn’t you rather stroll amidst outdoor stalls of fresh produce on a sunny day than roll your cart around a grocery store with artificial lights and piped in music? Coming to the farmers market makes shopping a pleasure rather than a chore. The farmers market is a community hub—a place to meet up with your friends, bring your children, or just get a taste of small-town life in the midst of our wonderful big city.

What Are the 7 Benefits of Consuming Locally Grown Foods?

The US Department of Agriculture claims that consuming fruits and vegetables is very beneficial to your health. Eating fresh fruits and vegetables is crucial, and consuming locally sourced produce is one of the greatest ways to ensure this. Eating locally has advantages for your community and your health.

Read Also: How to Start a Farmers Market in Your Community

Here are seven advantages of consuming regional produce:

1. Local Foods Are Fresher (and Tastes Better!)

When it comes to the freshness and quality of produce, locally grown options are hard to beat. Compared to produce that has been shipped in from far away, locally grown options are generally much fresher, which can translate to superior taste and nutritional value. This is because they are typically harvested at the peak of their ripeness, whereas produce that has to travel long distances may be picked before it is fully ripe. As a result, locally grown produce often has a richer flavor and higher nutrient content, making it a smart choice for those who prioritize health and flavor in their food choices.

2. Local Foods Are Seasonal 

By choosing locally grown fruits and vegetables, you can enjoy the benefits of products that have been allowed to fully ripen without the use of artificial chemicals or gas. This means that the produce is not only healthier but also more flavorful, as it is allowed to mature naturally. Additionally, opting for produce in peak season means that it is more abundant and, therefore, more affordable, as local farms are able to offer their products at a lower cost due to reduced transportation expenses. Choosing locally-grown produce is a smart choice for both your health and your wallet.

3. Local Foods Help to Preserve Farmland and Green Space

When you choose to purchase vegetables and fruits that are locally grown, you are making a positive impact on the environment in your community. By supporting local farmers and their produce, you are helping to preserve valuable green spaces and farmland. This is because local farms rely on community support to maintain their operations and continue to provide fresh, high-quality produce. By choosing locally grown options, you can contribute to the sustainability of your community’s food supply and help ensure that these valuable resources are protected for future generations.

4. Local Foods Promote Food Safety

The fewer processes between your produces’ source and your plate, the fewer the chances are for contamination. For example, if there is a large outbreak of e.coli in lettuce grown in California but the lettuce in your kitchen is from a local farm here in Alabama, you know your produce is safe to consume.

5. Local Foods Stimulate Variety 

When farmers participate in local markets and supply to nearby restaurants, they are able to meet the demand for a wider variety of fruits and vegetables. This means that you as a consumer are able to enjoy a diverse selection of produce, rather than being limited to a single type of tomato or other fruit or vegetable. For example, by supporting local farms, you may be able to choose from a range of tomato varieties, including “lemon boys,” “brandywines,” and “early girls.” 

6. Local Foods Support Your Community’s Economy

Buying produce from local farmers and restaurants keeps your money close to home. This works to build the economy in your community instead of a corporation in another state or country. Since the produce travels through fewer hands, more of the money spent actually gets back to those who grew it. 

7. Local Foods Create a Sense of Community

Buying locally grown produce and knowing where your food is from unites you to those who grow and raise it. Instead of having a relationship with a corporate supermarket, you develop smaller relationships to multiple food sources. Developing these personal relationships with growers at local farmer’s markets can be beneficial to you. For example, they can personally let you know when your favorite variety of bean will be available or when the strawberries you love will be on sale.

Visiting your local farmers market can be a fun and healthy family outing. Cater says bringing kids with you to the farmers market is a great practice. “Letting children select produce, meet working food providers and try new fruits and vegetables can help them feel involved in meal planning and inspire healthier eating habits.”

Just as individuals and families can benefit from the presence of farmers markets, so can entire neighborhoods. For instance, farmers markets help communities that otherwise may not have abundant access to fresh fruit and vegetables.