There are farmers' markets and CSAs popping up all over the country, and there's likely to be one or more in your town. Farmers' markets are markets in public places where farmers can sell their produce to the public. A CSA (community supported agriculture) is an opportunity where you pay a certain amount to a farmer in advance for a whole season, and a farmer delivers produce to you every week. "Why should I care?" you ask, being human. Here's why:
- You help reduce energy used to truck food from where it is grown to where you buy it
- There is much less packaging (read: less trash!) on the food
- Their food is much fresher. Food in grocery stores can often spend one or two weeks traveling, while local food is often sold the day it is picked
- The food is usually grown for its taste (it's not genetically modified and pumped with chemicals)
- You support small, local farms instead of huge companies
- The money stays in your local economy, supporting your community
- There is usually a great variety of foods at the farmer's market
- You can meet the farmers who grow your food, ask when it was picked, how it was grown, and ways to prepare it
- Farmers' Markets put more money into the farmers' pockets. This allows your local farmer to make a decent wage and support his or her family
So check out
this directory to find a farmer's market or CSA near you!
