F armers' Markets
To Market, To Market, A Local Food Revival
By Lisa Shively
When you buy food locally, you're not only doing something good for
you and your family, but you'll also be helping out your local farmer
and helping to protect our rural working landscape.
Farmers markets are a gathering space for farmers and their food,
family, friends and neighbors.
Farmers' Market Guide
Every week at the farmers market is an adventure. Even though you're
not growing the food yourself, you'll begin to discover your own
connection to the growing seasons.
(Click here to find the right market for you!)
In existence since Roman Times, farmers markets provide the place for
the community to buy fresh, in-season fruits and vegetables directly
from the farmer. Today you can find these markets in town squares,
parking lots, city parks, churchyards and/or in permanent market
facilities throughout Middle Tennessee.
Tallahassee May, a member of the Franklin Farmers Market Board and a
farmer with the Fresh Harvest Co-Op, comments that ?the Franklin
Farmers Market started with 8 vendors six years ago and now has over
45. People trust the market because of its producers-only rule, and
know that everything they buy is fresh and grown or produced within a
150 mile radius from Franklin.
Some markets, such as Franklin's, are held only on Saturdays, while
others like the one in Cookeville, are open six days a week. Markets
in rural counties may be smaller than some of their big county cousins
but one thing they all have in common - whether the farms are organic
or conventionally grown - buying at a farmer's market insures you will
have fresher, better tasting and healthier foods.
Enjoying Your Local Farmers Market
Dress comfortably; come prepared. Bring your own shopping bags,
canvas bags or baskets. Bring only as much cash as you want to spend
- it's a good budgeting technique.
Pack a cooler in your car in case you want to bring home perishables like
milk, meat or cheese.
Tour the market before buying. You'll find out what's available and what
prices and produce looks good to you. If you come early you'll get the
best selections and if you come later in the day, you may find some bargains.
When you're visiting a market for the first time, always remember to
check with the farmer to make sure the food has been grown locally.
Some markets allow re-sellers and you'll be buying the same food as
you buy at the supermarket. It may have been grown in Mexico or
California - so it's important to check when you're unfamiliar with
a market.
Ask questions about the produce or fruit available. Lots of farmers
will bring recipes for the produce in season, if not, ask the farmer
how they like to fix a particular item. Often you can find items at a
farmers market that you won't find in the supermarket. Many farmers
these days are growing old fashioned or heritage varieties - purple
beans, blue corn or black tomatoes - let it be an adventure!
"Our market's customers are from our rural county, " says Cannon
County Farmers Market Director Catherine Simmons, "and a lot of them
have their own backyard gardens. They come to the market looking for
variety and something unusual. They like to find things they don't see
at the grocery store." When you buy food locally, you're not only
doing some- thing good for you and your family - but you'll also be
helping out your local farmer and helping to protect our rural working
landscape. You become part of your local community.
In Middle Tennessee, we can be assured of three full growing seasons
with such crops such as fruits, tomatoes, corn, squashes, cucumbers,
melons, okra, eggplant, peppers, lettuces and greens, herbs, milk and
cheese, pastured meats and poultry, pumpkins, eggs, honey, flowers and
nursery stock.
Every week at the farmers market is an adventure. Even though you're
not growing the food yourself, you'll begin to discover your own
connection to the growing seasons.
Best of all you'll be getting extra fresh produce - possibly even
picked that morning!
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