We have always loved going to farmers markets and picking out fresh food. There’s something so much more rewarding about that form of grocery shopping than just running to the nearest store.
We recently joined a community supported agriculture (CSA) program through Signal Mountain Farms, a local farm here in Chattanooga. We pick up a box of locally grown produce twice a month, and we are able to enjoy fresh, seasonal fruit and vegetables all while supporting our local farmers.
There are so many reasons to support our farmers markets, but here are a few of our favorites:
1. Trust
In today’s world there’s a lot of uncertainty about how certain produce is grown and animal products are prepared. Unfortunately we cannot always trust the label anymore. This is a huge reason why we prefer to get our food from local farms—we trust how it’s grown, and we know where it comes from.
2. Less travel means more nutrients
Have you ever noticed that the produce you get from the grocery store lasts way longer than produce from the farmers market? We recently got some celery in our CSA box, and within days it was already wilting, (I just added it to a glass jar of water, and it perked back up!) whereas when I get celery from the grocery store, it retains its structure and color for weeks. Why is this?
There are a lot of preservation techniques, many of them unhealthy, that go into making produce look appealing before it hits the grocery store. The moment the produce is picked it begins to lose nutrients, i.e. light energy/biophotons. Therefore the more time that occurs from the moment it’s picked to the moment of consumption matters. The less time that occurs between the two means that it retains the nutrients, and we are consuming more LIGHT. The more light that our cells emit the healthier we are.
3. Support the local economy
Chain conglomerates are dominating the food industry in the United States, elbowing out small family farms who don’t have the economic stamina to compete with these large corporations. When you buy directly from a farmer, you are supporting a small business, a family, an individual, and in turn, you are supporting the local economy.
4. Eat seasonally
There’s a reason why watermelon is grown in the summer and pumpkins are grown in the fall. Our bodies thrive off eating seasonally. Another reason why we love our CSA box is because it provides our family with the seasonal produce that our bodies need for the area we live in. Also, it allows us to be more creative with what we eat. It’s so easy to fall into a habit of eating the same things over and over again. When we eat seasonally, we introduce variety into our diet, which helps create a more balanced fuel for our body.
5. Our tastebuds love it!
There’s no argument here: fresh-picked strawberries taste much different than ones from the grocery store. There’s so much more flavor because the nutrients are maintained when produce isn’t traveling hundreds of miles before consumption.
Whether you’re looking to support your local community, trying to find a way to be more creative with your meals, or you just want to eat food that tastes better, consider switching your grocery shopping trips to the farmers market. We promise you won’t regret it!
In gratitude and good health,
Matt & Monica