Support your local Farmers Market

By Rebecca Harnik

A fresh strawberry from a farmers market is unlike any that you can buy in a store. The flavor, tenderness and juiciness are simply the best.

But shopping at local farms has more perks than excellent produce. Buying locally-grown food can bring more money into the community, reduce the costs of food shipment and create a better community atmosphere.

A few weeks ago, I went to the farmers market in Madison, Wisconsin, one of the biggest markets in the country. The community atmosphere that farmers markets can build is quite unique.

In Madison, all of the Wisconsinites strolled the market surveying the variety of different offerings from local farmers. Local crafts were sold, musicians played and everyone seemed happy. Since then, I have tried as much as possible to frequent these markets, and to support local businesses whenever I can.

On average, produce in the U.S. is shipped 1500 miles before being sold, not including produce important from other countries. The energy costs associated with shipping, packing and protecting the produce for such a journey are vast. Buying locally can cut back on the amount of energy needed for such travels.

Supporting local farmers helps sustain local communities. According to Local Harvest, Inc., only 18 cents out of every dollar spent at grocery stores actually goes to the farmer who produced the crops because of all of the middlemen required to transport and sell produce at a grocery store. Farmers markets allow a greater percent of the money to go to the farmer, which can in turn be invested in the community and to further local interests, rather than going to big corporations that may not have the needs of the community in mind.

While shopping locally, keep in mind that buying organic ensures the health of the environment by preventing harmful chemicals from entering soil and water systems. Organic agriculture protects the health of the ecosystem, the producers and the consumers by reducing toxins involved in agriculture. Supporting organic farms is another important way to protect the health of the ecosystem and further the actions of farms that do not use pesticides.

Local Harvest offers a huge database of farmers markets, farms, co-ops and eco-conscious restaurants. Type in your zip code and you might learn of local markets and businesses nearby.

I learned a lot about small environmentally friendly businesses in my area that I didn’t even know existed.