As spring harvest season is upon us, the opening of our favorite shopping venues is just around the corner -- the Farmers' Market. I can't wait to gather some farm fresh fruits and veggies, home-baked breads and numerous other goodies from the markets in my area. Guest blogger, Maria Rainier, is a freelance writer and blog junkie! Currently a resident blogger at First in Education, Maria writes about education, online colleges, online degrees, etc. In her spare time, she enjoys square-foot gardening, swimming and avoiding her laptop! Today on the blog, she is sharing her best tips for shopping the local farmers' markets.
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| Farmers' Market offerings from WillowHill Springs Farm |
3 Tips for Shopping the Local Farmers' Markets
Farmers' markets are one of the best ways to find
locally sourced, natural, and fresh produce. As obesity and diabetes continue
to threaten the health of our society, a real food revolution has taken place
throughout the United States. Many individuals, stores, and restaurants are
placing more importance on fresh, all-natural products rather than highly
processed and unhealthy items. We have also become more inspired to buy our
food locally in recent years, supporting our local economy and finding truly
fresh items. Of course, one of the best
ways to accomplish all of these things in one place is by scrounging the local
farmers' markets. As the warm summer months roll in, farmers' markets are going
to crop up more and more often. Farmers' markets are one of the best ways to
save money on your produce and find the best quality product out there. Use
these three tips to be as successful as possible at your next farmers' market
trip.
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| Flowers are one of my favorite farmers' market finds! |
Always
Take Cash
Cash is always your best bet at a farmers'
market event. While some vendors may accept credit or debit cards with from
their smartphones, it's a much safer bet to just take plenty of cash on hand to
pay for your items. Many larger farmers' markets will have ATMs set up
throughout the area. However, this convenience often comes with fairly hefty
ATM charges that just aren't worth it. Take cash with you. To save some money
overall, you should go with an idea of what you'd like and only take enough
cash for those items. This can help taper your spending. Also, many farmers'
markets participate in the WIC Farmers' Market
Nutrition Program, providing supplemental foods, health care referrals, and
nutrition education at no cost to low-income women, infants, and children who
are found at nutritional risk. This program offers coupons to these individuals
so that they can purchase fresh and nutritious fruits, vegetables, and herbs
free of charge.
Another key trick to mastering farmers' markets
the right way is really understanding your seasons. If you know a little
something about what to expect when you get the market, you can make your
decisions about what to get more easily. Take the time to learn about what
types of produce grow in what seasons. You should try to educate yourself on
the specific produce that you are interested in finding at the market as well.
The more you know about the product, the more likely you will be to find the
best produce available. Learn what things grow in what areas to get a better
idea of what might be available. You can talk to the growers about what will be
showing up in the markets in the future weeks and what to look for in specific
items. Insider knowledge like this can be extremely useful for any farmers'
market goer.
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| Flowers from WillowHill Springs Farm! |
Bring
a Cooler
It's also a good idea to consider the easiest
ways to carry the items you purchase around before you go to a farmers' market.
One thing that many people overlook is actually getting around the event with
all of the fresh produce you purchase. Take some bags and coolers with you so
that you can easily store the things you purchase. If you decided to take some
coolers with ice packs, you can keep them in your car and then put the fresh
things that need to stay cool in there. You don't want to purchase brand new,
freshly cropped items, just to let them wilt and wither in the summer's heat
after you buy them. The whole idea of the farmers' market is to get things that
are totally fresh. Think ahead so that you can bring the very best product back
home with you.
What items are you most excited about buying at this season's farmers' markets?
Ahhhh, a COOLER! I never even thought about that. Genius!
ReplyDeleteWe need one of those wheeling kinds!
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