The Joy of a Farmer’s Market
Big box grocery stores are convenient, cost effective and make life a little easier.
So why in the world would anyone spend time going to their local farmers market?
We’ve personally spent the last 15 years trying to intentionally shop at them or have spent time trying to source our food as locally as we can. Why? It wasn’t for the convenience, cost or about saving time. But it was for the community, the personal touch, the honesty and the integrity of the product. That’s what you get from a farmers market when comparing it to a large chain grocery store. You can’t really compare. It’s not comparing apples to apples. It’s kind of like comparing a Hyundai to a Rolls Royce. They do the same job but one is clearly a better type and model. They feel different, look different and sound different. The same goes for shopping for food and locally made products. When you know, you know!
Plugging into the community. Your local farmers market gives you the perfect opportunity to plug into your community and connect with your local farmers, ranchers & creators! We have met the nicest people visiting our locals’ markets and have found out how many local producers live near us. It’s a great realization that you can source your food within miles of your home. Talk about fresh!
Personal Touch & Relationships. There’s nothing better than knowing who grew what you’re feeding your family. That’s what a farmers market gives you. You can ask questions, meet the producer and get first-hand knowledge how the product, whether it’s hamburger meat or your body wash, was made. Farmers, ranchers and product designers love to educate and share what they are doing on their in their kitchens or on their farm. Don’t be afraid to ask.
Honesty & Integrity of the product & the producer. When you’re purchasing a product from a large chain store you’re disconnected from the producer and the product itself. Yet when shopping at a farmers’ market you have the opportunity to develop a relationship with the producer him or herself. If you don’t have a connection with them and you don’t feel like they are honest, hardworking people you can choose to find a new vendor. Yet when purchasing products at a large grocery store chain you have no idea about the producers’ character. I love that shopping locally allows you to choose how and where you hard-earned money is spent.
The freshness of the product. Unless you’re growing or making the product on your own there is nothing fresher than buying straight from the producer. Have you noticed the labels on your food from your local grocery store? They have traveled miles, weeks, sometimes even months to get to you. Yet when you purchase local produce at your farmers market the food has likely been picked less than 24 hours prior. This way is so much more nutritious and fresh. It’s practically straight from the farm to your table!
Photo courtesy of @Dale H. Leach (@dhl_photographix)
It’s all of this that makes it quite an honor in our book to be the new Market Managers for our local Farmers Market. Come out and see us Friday nights from 4 - 7pm. Kerrville Farmer’s Market
