Wake up and smell the potatoes. It's time to break up with your grocery store. At the very least relegate it to the "friend zone" while you pursue your true love relationship with a farmer.
Nothing good ever came from someone rolling a cart down an ice cream aisle. That doesn't sound right. Let me rethink that sentence.
I'd actually like to take that sentence back because mostly very good things come from rolling a card down an ice cream aisle. And it's the first place everyone goes when they break up with anyone or anything, so this might be a problem. Lemme get back to you on that one.
The absolute, bonafide, 100% truth is you probably can't ditch your grocery store entirely. There is nowhere else to buy those hamster sized variety packs of cereal to take to the cottage.
But you should think about shunning the produce aisle at the very least, especially during the summer and fall months. Push that wobbly wheeled cart off to the side and hoof it to your local farmers' market.
Just because you don't live in the country doesn't mean you don't have access to farmer fresh produce. Most huge cities host farmers markets along with small towns and everything in between.
The things you'll find there will do more for your health and well being than going for a 5 km run.
This is not necessarily a scientifically proven fact, just something I, a person who hates running, likes to believe. Here's a story about my crossfit experience if you're interested. It was a shitshow.
Why should you shop at your farmer's market as opposed to the grocery store? I'll give you 7 good reasons.
7 Reasons to Shop At Your Farmers' Market
1. You get to know your farmer & therefore your food.
This is Murray. He's one of my local farmers. Murray is a heritage pig and chicken farmer who also grows produce. He raises the pigs for meat and the chickens for eggs. He carries all pork products imaginable from pork belly to sausages to chops and lard. I've had them all. His pigs are pasture raised, aren't fed any corn and are butchered locally.
I know where the pigs live, I know how they live, and I know what he feeds them and how he treats them. I didn't even like pork before I met farmer Murray. Now I do to an extent. Plus he has a pretty cool looking weirdo heirloom squash there.
Knowing the provenance of your market food will make you more aware of all your food choices.
2. Farmer's Markets promote socializing and community.
Here's me at the grocery store: *I hate you, I hate everyone, I hate this aisle, I hate fluorescent lighting, I hate gum, I hate my shoes, I hate everything*
Here's me at the Farmer's Market: *I love you, I love everyone, I love this stall, I love the sun, I love gum, I don't care that I hate my shoes, I love everything!*
See the difference? If you don't, you might need to make a quick run to the local psychologist's office.
Shopping at a Farmers' Market is a way better experience. Just look at how much fun these people are having. You'd swear they were on drugs, but they aren't (as far as I know). They're on a 100% natural, market high. At an outdoor market you're happy to run into people and chat (as opposed to ducking down the nearest aisle). You're getting vitamin D, eating apples (my market's apple farmer give away apples), listening to music and generally enjoying the entire event.
Because shopping at a market is a communal event. It's something everyone happily does together, as opposed to shopping in a grocery store which has become like the elevator of shopping experiences. We go in, we ignore everyone around us, we get out.
Psychologically an outdoor market has all the ingredients for boosting not only our health but our mood.
3. Supports your local economy.
Support your local economy. What does shopping locally actually accomplish? For one thing you monetarily support people you know and care about in your community. Without you buying from them, they'd have to close up shop and clean houses for a living.
Unless their actual business is cleaning houses, in which case they'd have to close up shop and not clean houses for a living.
Of every dollar you spend locally, over 60 cents of it stays within your community.
Your town, city or neighbourhood is a little ecosystem; you need to feed it, nurture it and take care of it to keep it alive.
4. Freshhhhhh.
The produce or flowers you pick up were likely picked only hours before you bought them. Unlike a grocery store which carries tomatoes that were probably picked ... who knows when. On average produce travels 1,500 miles before it makes it to your grocery store. That's a lotta miles and a lot of handling. That travelling California strawberry has had the potential to pick up a lot of hitchikers along the way.
The fresher the produce, the better it tastes.
Markets are also your freshest option for flowers. PLUS local farm flowers are just prettier than grocery store flowers.
Flowers are scientifically proven (this time for real) to elevate your mood and relieve anxiety.
5. Actual organic
If your goal is to buy organic, the Farmers' Markets are (usually) going to be your cheaper option. There's no middleman, no marketing guru to pay and no transportation costs.
Talk to your market farmer! (This is where the whole know your farmer thing comes in handy) Their farm may not be "certified organic", which requires a lot of money and paperwork, but they may indeed be as organic as any certified farm. They just don't have the paperwork.
The more people that buy organic the cheaper it will become but it will always be more expensive than non organic because so much more work is involved in growing organic food.
6. Variety
My favourite variety of apple can only be bought at a Farmer's Market. Why? Because they don't travel well and grocery stores don't want to carry foods that don't travel well even if they tastes more delicious than anything else in the world.
The Golden Gala apple can only be found at the market. Search it out. It's like a Royal Gala but golden. Sadly this picture of my market apples isn't showcasing the Golden Gala because they were sold out because they are SO good.
The Farmer's Market is the perfect place to get varieties of vegetables or fruits that you cannot, under any circumstances get in any grocery store. Golden Gala apples, Grey Ghost squash, Linzer Delikatess and Pink Fir Apple potatoes.
Other than a few heirloom tomatoes, you won't find a supply of heirlooms in the grocery store. Why does that matter?
Heirloom vegetables offer more taste, more textures and more colours. And that makes for more of a meal.
7. HOW many people touched that?
Less people have touched your food at the market. In fact, it's entirely possible that the only person to have touched it was the farmer or their hired helper.
More people have touched your food at the grocery store. A lot more. Not that it matters terribly because you're going to wash it, but still.
As an added bonus here's another reason to take in a Farmer's market. They're dog friendly.
Think maybe a roadside stand is a good option for your produce? Usually they are. I have a friend who has a great roadside stand where he sells beautiful organic lettuces.
But sometimes those roadside stands are just posing as farmers. They buy their produce wholesale, put on a pair of muddy boots and set up shop on a country road. Seriously. So vet them before you buy from them. Just ask a few questions about where the food came from and if they grew it. Maybe a couple of follow up questions about variety or where their farm is.
My town's market has a vetting process where everyone who is part of the market must allow the market manager access to their farm to look around and approve it.
This ensures that the farmers are actual farmers.
Not all markets work the same way so if you're unsure about the produce, do like I told you to do with the roadside stand. Ask questions. Probe. Be a pest. If they're an actual farmer they'll be more than happy to talk to you for weeks on end about the perils of the Colorado Potato Beetle.
Now back to that ice cream aisle problem. It just occurred to me that you probably can skip it as well. Farmers' markets have ice cream too.
In this case it's an all natural, vegan Pumpkin Maple Paleta from Rudy's.
3 of which are sitting in my freezer right now, just waiting for me to break up with someone or something.
This post was originally published a few years ago. I do not have 3 Pumpkin Maple Paleta's in my freezer right now. I have half a pint of homemade Bourbon Apricot swirl ice cream from Foundry Ice cream.
Ice cream farmers - available only at your local farmers' market.
→Follow me on Instagram where I often make a fool of myself←
Nancy Blue Moon
Yup!...nothing better than fresh produce...I crave it all Winter long!
Shelley
As always, your writing makes me laugh and smile! But I gotta know, the lady with the beautiful, shiny auburn hair - WHAT does she use to make those curls look so soft?? I honestly reached out to my computer screen to touch them!
Karen
Ha ha! Well that's funny. That would be Noelle who owns the local curly hair salon, lol! She's been a longtime advertiser on The Art of Doing Stuff and I happened to run into her at the market. Her shop is Ellenoire and she takes Internet orders. https://ellenoire.com/collections/devacurl-products I've taken the liberty of linking to the curly hair products she uses in her store/salon. :) ~ karen!
Catherine
Ottawa has mobile fruit and vegetable buses/trailers that bring the produce to the neighbourhoods that need them. http://www.marketmobileottawa.ca/photos
Kristina
The strawberry stand up the road (we've got a million of mom & pop stands here in N California) has morphed into a regular farmstand, and I'm always amazed by the interesting fresh produce there. The owners are SE Asian, and they grow tons of stuff this ginger has never seen. I have a great time discussing with the proprietor how to prepare veggies I've never cooked before. My favorite bit of advice: "I know that *looks* like a cucumber, but it is a very, very hot radish." Ha. (Also, are "food deserts" a problem in Canadian cities? We have a problem with neighborhoods here in the US that don't have anywhere but a mini-mart to shop for food. They are understandably lacking in produce.)
Karen
I've been in those sorts of areas in Quebec but there are grocery stores within driving distance. This particular area I'm thinking of doesn't really produce people who eat vegetables anyway. Possibly because they've never been available, lol. Nope. Literally meat and potatoes. I've never heard the term vegetable desert before though and I'm not sure if it's actually a thing in Canada or not! ~ karen
Amy in StL
I wish I had the time to go to the local farmers' markets. Since they're all held in parking areas, the street parking fills up very fast which means spending considerable time searching for a spot and walking to the lot. Then trying to find what I'm looking for and who has it among the crowded throngs of people after a busy workday and I'd rather just spend 20 minutes at the grocery picking up what I need and spend the rest of my evening at my house instead of fighting for space with strangers.
Rebecca Hengen
My local farmer's market has a small amount of locally grown stuff sold by the person that grew it , and also sellers who go to a produce wholesaler and buy large quantities to resell. I wish we could have a local market that sells only stuff from the grower, but that is not the case so I roll with what I have. What I recently found is a small family owned local produce company that sells in the market. They do not grow their products but drive four hours one way to a wholesaler every Monday. They buy large quantities of produce that is in season and/or a good price. They then post what is available online. You get a box of 25 pounds of produce for $25. You choose the items you want and the pounds of each that you wish to get and post your order online. Then on Tuesdays you pick up your box of produce at the market. They also have additional veggies and fruits for sale at their stall in the market. So while I'm not getting locally grown produce, I am getting a good price, supporting a local small business owner and eliminating any wasteful packaging. I can return my made for produce cardboard box for them to use again, thus not even have to recycle it. It is a win-win situation!
Mel
Is it just me or does Murray do some moonlighting as Russell Crowe??
Mary W
Just opened my laptop to read your blog - ready for bed but had to check in. I'm just out of the shower and really sleepy - just as I saw the picture of the fresh apples (we can't really grow them in FL) the AC cut on and the cool air and sight of crispy fresh apples - I swear I could smell them. Then I saw those amazing brown eggs which we do have in FL just not in my kitchen - not allowed to have chickens in my neighborhood. Next came the gorgeous batches of strawberries - normal, red, probably tasty and sweet. The grocery sells giant, tasteless, beginning to rot inside (but still looking good outside) strawberries I just can't force myself to buy. The local ones were done growing in May. I MUST go to my farmer's market this Saturday. Thanks for the encouragement and kick in the butt. Last time I went, I bought an expensive peach tree that fed the deer for almost a week. So, I think I will buy some peaches Saturday!
Tristan Jayne Bell Knowlton
LOVE love!! And the first image.. Thank you ! xx
Karen
Hahahaha! That's a nice Pinnable image isn't it Tristan! :) ~ karen!
Elaine
Yes, I should have done that, Karen! I will do it tomorrow. Before I moved here (from another small town) and after my husband passed away, there was a farmer who had the best corn ever and "yes", no cooking was necessary!
Elaine
Like you, Karen, I love going to a farmers' market and shop regularly every Thursday. I keep my eye out for you but no luck, so far!! I will go again tomorrow but have to admit, I've been kind of ticked off the last two weeks! I wasted about $20. Why? I normally visit a booth that sells corn (south end of the lot) but they were sold out so I tried another stall. I asked if it was tender and assured it was; it wasn't! Tossed it out. I also bought peaches the last two weeks at two different stalls. At both, I asked each vendor if the peaches were still juicy (and not dry and "mealy") and was assured they were. They weren't! So they were also tossed. However, as said, I'll be there tomorrow as the majority of their produce is great. (I think it's just too late in the season for juicy peaches). In spite of wasting approximately $20, I STILL look forward to our Thursday market day!
Karen
Ask for a taste or sample Elaine! The apple farmers are GREAT. They're constantly handing out samples of their cider or giving out whole apples to see which one you like best. They're really good for that. And if corn is fresh, you can eat it right off the cob without even cooking it. So if you taste it raw off the cob you'll know right away if it's going to be good or going to be gross. ~ karen!
Alena
I am pretty sure the correct spelling is farmers' market, not farmer's market (as we talking about multiple farmers as opposed to a single one).
I go to my local FM on most Saturdays although I can't say I get any vitamin D - I am there when some of the vendors are still setting up, at 6 a.m. The reasons are
1. I hate the zoo the covered parking lot becomes later on;
2. There is only a limited amount of almond croissants at that vendor that carries them
3. I buy spinach from one specific farmer only and its supply is also limited.
The most important produce (to me) is the spinach. I was eating an indecently large amount of raw spinach (on my egg omelette) as I watched today's Marilyn Dennis who had a nutriotionist on the show today demonstrating 3 recipes for people that don't eat spinach, cilantro and mushroom (I love all three).
Some of the vendors on the market are real farmers (like the spinach dude from whom I also buy most of my veg) but a lot of them are just distributors selling the same stuff one can get at a grocery stores (i.e. fruit or veggies in the plastic cartons, with the same label as at a store). What really turns me off is to see many of them open up each pint sized clam shell, root for the rotting pieces, throw them out and then put the clam shell pack back on the counter. There is a reason why one can get a pint of raspberries for $1.50 - so exercise caution.
As I said, the main reason I go to the market is the spinach which is unbelievably fresh and lasts 2 weeks in the fridge with no problem (unlike the bag in the store that start wilting the moment the bas has been opened). Each week, I buy 2 (fairly large) bags of spinach for $3 each. The sad moment is the end of the spinach growing season (usually early December, depending on weather) when I have to live on grocery store spinach until May or so.
Marlene Eastman
I love going to our little market Saturday mornings!! Best fresh food ever!! And it lasts so much longer than the store bought stuff. My local farmer I buy lettuce from, last me almost 2 weeks!! The store stuff, I'm lucky if it last a few days. And tastes so much better!!
I also ran into my favourite blogger (that's you!!), when I went to an town close by for a Thursday afternoon visit, since I wasn't going to be home for my normal Saturday visit. I also got to know my local farmers for buying fresh eggs all year round. Nothing like cracking an egg and seeing that deep yellow/orange yolk!! Yeah for local farmers!! I grew up on a farm, so I know all the hard work, long hours and weathers issues that it takes to make money. Farmers rock!!!
Carolyn Boyd
We are very lucky to have a terrific farmer's market in the small town in Nova Scotia where I live. Last year they even committed to staying open all winter, as they are now located in our old (historic) fire station. We also are lucky to have farmers in our family who raise heritage pigs, plus beef, sheep, chickens for meat and eggs, and turkeys - all free range and mostly grass-fed. Almost everything is available except for fluid milk. Lucky indeed!!
Julie
You need to stay away from that couple in the 3rd picture! LOL!
We have a nice farmer's market where I am in Toronto but there's just something about a more rural setting that makes it way more divine!
Pattie Meyers
Really love this blog, Karen. I'm lousy at growing my own food (good at raising laying hens) but I really care about supporting farmer's markets. So important for our local economy and our bellies. Writer Barbara Kingsolver's book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle breaks down the costs and benefits of local food in a very entertaining way. Page 304 and thereabouts
TucsonPatty
I loved that book! Gets my recommendation, too. I was so sad when they moved away from Tucson. I think I have read every single book she has written.
Gina
Karen I subscribed to your blog because you are outrageously funny! Fresh and positive. Love it!
I live in Portugal (I'm Portuguese raised in the states) and markets are FANTASTIC, cheap and a great way to support your local economy.
Keep it up...
Karen
I love Portugal! (except the driving ... the driving is truly insane) ~ karen!
Erin
THANK YOU, Karen.
This is my second season selling veggies at our local Farmer's Market. This post and these comments are perfectly timed to boost my morale after a somewhat *challenging* growing season.
From my side of the table:
1.) Yes- talk to your farmer! I love getting to know my customers and am very pleased to share about our growing practices. Farmers can be a great resource for cooking ideas - and I've learned a few great recipes from my customers, as well. I also want to know what people are looking for (golden beets, striped eggplant) and that helps me plan for the next season. True "market research."
2.) It is a blast to see folks at the market run into old friends they haven't seen in "ages."
3.) As a vendor, I shop my market and support the other vendors. And the local ice cream shop.
4.) Freshest around. You can't buy what I sell at any grocery store. My produce was picked less than 24hrs before being brought to market. I grow varieties that taste delicious, and they keep exceptionally well because of that freshness.
5.) I keep my prices in line with Canadian organic prices for our region. I do however, expect to be paid fairly for my work. I am happy to explain my pricing, but don't insult me by trying to haggle over a couple of dollars. (I see that $4 latte in your other hand :) )
6.) Having unusual varieties has been a great way to set our veggie stand apart from the grocery store, and even other veg vendors at the market. Purple orach, Boothby blonde cucumbers, and calliope eggplants are great conversation starters. Don't be afraid to ask a vendor about some weird thing they are selling - and don't feel like you are committed to buying it just by asking!
A heartfelt thanks to all you market shoppers and CSA supporters out there. Your shopping decisions really make a difference.
Mindy Northrop
Murray looks exactly like Russell Crowe.
Elaine
That was my first thought too! 💕
Bunguin
You beat me. When I first saw the pictures, I was like, did Karen Photoshop Russel Crowe into that picture for some funny reason? Then I though, does Russel Crowe grow veggies for the farmer's market in canada? Then I realized that Murray could do celebrity impersonation appearances as Russel Crowe.
linda in illinois
Your crossfit story, I could never in a million years beat myself up like that.. wow... and is this the boyfriend that hurt you so badly you stayed under your bed for months?? He deserves to be bitch slapped and I'd be happy to do it for you.
Meanwhile, I love the farmers market. I wish they were open all year long.