Why shop at a farmers’ market?
Access to fresh, locally grown foods, for starters. Farmers’ markets have fruits and vegetables at the peak of the growing season. This means the produce is at its freshest and tastes the best.
And the best part of all of this? Is that Evanstonians have one in their neck of the woods!
Fresher Food
Most of the produce you buy at the grocery store is picked before it is ripe and transported as much as 2,000 miles before it reaches the store. In contrast, farmers market produce is generally ripened on the plant, picked right before the market, and transported less than 50 miles. This makes farmers market produce fresher. You can find a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables at farmers markets that are packed with vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals.
Endless Greens, a vendor at the Evanston market, for example, has family members pick the herbs and flowers that they bring to the market every Saturday. According to Gareth Proctor, owner of Endless Greens, all of the herbs and flowers they sell at the market are grown locally and by the owners themselves.
Henry’s Farm also grows their organic produce directly on their farm. As owner Henry Brockman puts it, “My farm and therefore everything I grow on it is 100% USDA certified organic. What that means is that I follow all of the USDA standards for organic production and that I undergo an inspection every year to certify that I am indeed following the rules.
Personal contact
Most often, you get to talk directly to the people who grew the produce. They can tell you how they grew it, what fertilizers or pesticides they used, what variety they planted, and can answer other questions you may have. Our Evanston vendors are extremely friendly!
But how do I know if I’m picking the right kind of produce?
Choose ripe, unblemished produce- Farmers’ market produce is often softer and juicier than grocery store produce — many farmers’ market varieties are bred for flavor, not for quantity and long transportation times. Keep an eye out for bruised and broken skin. If the skin is broken, the surface of the produce is slimy, or there are soft spots on a portion of the fruit or vegetable, it has been bruised and will spoil more rapidly. You should choose produce that is free of all signs of bruising and spoilage.
Choose what you will use- Fresh produce from a farmers market may have a shorter shelf life than the lettuce you buy pre-bagged at the store. Purchase only what you can use or preserve within a few days.
