Why to Support Your Local Farmers Market
"The farmer knows just what to do, for God has given him understanding"
In a day and age where supply chain shortages have become common, many people are thinking about how to keep themselves and their loved ones fed. Stocking-up on various canned and dried foods are certainly helpful, however one can’t rely on stocking-up forever (unless you can store 25 years of canned food in your basement).
For most of us where heavy storage isn’t an option, it makes you think about other options to maintain your food supply. There’s an easy answer: local food providers!
Many of us drive past our local food suppliers - farmers markets, orchards, bakeries, butchers, produce stands - without consideration of taking their money to a local business. Now is a great time to stop by and get to know those within your community!
Here are 7 reasons why it’s great to shop at the Farmers Market:
Fresh food.
It can’t get any fresher than being grown and raised within a few miles of your home. Much of our foods are imported from other states and countries. Though it’s not necessarily a bad thing, it does come with certain disadvantages, such as quality and freshness, depending on its shelf life. This is especially true considering our healthiest foods, such as fruits and vegetables. When you buy at the farmers market, food is often sold within days of harvest delivering optimal freshness.
2. Local food, local business.
We’ve all heard about the health benefits of eating local honey. Who better to buy from than the local beekeeper? If you have any questions about how your beef or poultry is raised, why not ask the rancher?
Another obvious but important point: buying local products financially benefits local business. When you shop at a Farmers Market, it supports your local community, both socially and economically!
3. Networking and human connection.
Buying locally is only part of the beauty of the Farmers Market. Another great part is getting to know people within your community. It’s an opportunity to make human connections and build rapports with people who could continuously provide a fresh food supply.
Interpersonal face-to-face conversation is far more enjoyable than ordering through a screen. Shopping websites don’t smile or verbally communicate, at least at a human level.
4. You may find unique foods.
Some foods are almost impossible to find in your average supermarket. Unrefrigerated eggs, for example. Did you know most European countries don’t refrigerate their eggs? Today, they are near impossible to find in the United States.
I recently met someone who sells olive leaf tea, something I didn’t know even existed, and it’s a tasty and soothing tea! When you go to the Farmers Market, the vendors sometimes offer unique items rarely seen in your supermarket.
The next time you need to buy a birthday or Christmas present, the Farmers Market may have something that would be an awesome gift for a loved one!
5. The food is often organic.
One thing I’ve discovered is a lot of local farmers often stay as organic as possible when raising and growing their food. The quality is often noticeable in the taste as well. In a day and age where a lot of foods are genetically modified (GMO) and found responsible for a rise in allergies, going back to basics only seems to be the wise decision to make.
6. You expand your resources.
Certain foods you can’t find in many locations. As stated before, unrefrigerated eggs are near impossible to find in an American supermarket. If you practice water glassing (see link below), you already know you must have unrefrigerated eggs to safely preserve the food. So where do you go? Your local farmer!
7. You can find more than just food.
There are a variety of items you can find at a Farmers Market, other than just consumables. Hand-crafted soaps, home-raised and spun wool, and hand lotions with natural ingredients are just a few things you may find! The more you shop at various Farmers Markets, the more you can find quality items than just big box stores.
Final words. Over time, you may find you don’t need to always rely on supermarkets and other big box stores to get all of your needs. Because of today’s destabilization of supply chains, many items that will be hard to find you can get from a local farmer. Build a rapport with the people you are buying products from, get recommendations, exchange ideas for recipes and new foods to try. So why visit your local farmers market?
Isaiah 28:26, 29 - The farmer knows just what to do, for God has given him understanding. … The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is a wonderful teacher and he gives the farmer great wisdom.