earth week: keep it local

johnson's produce.cookbook.oh mamma's italian deli.

it's no secret that shopping local is both sustainable and healthier than shopping at a big chain grocery. 1) you're supporting and helping local farmers keep their farms in business,
2) the time of delivery from farm to farmers marketing, as opposed to "farm" to grocery store, is significantly lowered - thus, good for the environment, and 
3) the quality of farmers market produce is so much better than the products you'll find at the grocery - most of the time their produce is grown naturally and organically annnnd since the food doesn't have to travel very far it is less likely that the produce is going to get bruised or damaged in the delivery process. because let's face it, who really likes to cut off the bruised part of the apple anyways?

pre-athens, i was a teeny-weeny nervous about stepping foot into farmers market. i'm weird like that - if i don't know enough about something it's hard for me to feel comfortable doing it. i mean you walk into this place with all these farmers that clearly know a ton about what's going on..what's good and what's not. it's a little intimidating. soooo, for all the others out there that are really weird like me here are a few tips:
- know your seasons: know what produce is available, when and in your area. (florida farmers markets will have wayyyy more abundance of produce than northern states. luckily, south bend has a little cheat sheet for chicas like me. if you live near here your schedule will be very similar)
- go early or go late: going early will give you the best options, you will be able to pick what you want before it's picked over. although, if you're looking for a good deal you may want to go late. toward the end of the day vendors may not want to take tons of stuff home with them which might make them willing to negotiate. bang for your buck is what i like to call that number
- bring bags and cash: most vendors provide bags for your purchases, but they are almost all the time flimsy plastic bags and we know how i feel about those guys. there are so many cute bags out there, there's no excuse to not use one alllll the time. (click here and here if you need ideas). aside from your own bags, cash is the next most important thing you will need at the market (okay, maybe it's the first, but since this post is for earth week i'm saying it's definitely second!) most markets only take cash - 50 cent and one dollar increments. so, small change is preferable for most vendors.
- be adventurous: farmers markets are known for having unusual things. good thing? most of the time they have samples laid out for people to try. don't be scared - try, try, try! you never know what you might find!
- plan ahead: in most cities you can see what is available at your market even before you step foot in the building (or parking lot if you live in athens). so, plan ahead. sketch your meals out a day or two before and know what you need before you start wandering. i went to a local barnes & noble to look for farmers market-specific cookbooks. there are TONS out there - here's a list (courtesy of amazon). 
- think dirty: you gotta remember - these products are coming straight from the farm. they aren't cleaned and usually aren't cut into proportions before put on display at each booth. at farmers markets there are no such thing as "baby" carrots. they are usually unpeeled and uncut...with dirt 'n all. same with beets, celery and any other fruit/vegetable you can think of. as long as you're okay with getting your cute little bags a little dirty, those carrots will be the best damn carrots you have ever tasted (once washed, of course)

- get advice: going back to my intro - farmers, and each individual vendor, will know the most about their products. if something is new to you don't be afraid to ask them about it - how to cook it, what to cook it with, etc. 99% of the time they are more than happy to educate. 


now, don't be sckerd. find a local farmers market near you (here) and go get your shopping onnn.
happy marketing :)