While I do
love growing my own vegetables, I also really
love farmers markets. They offer such
diverse products including fruits, vegetables, eggs, honey, and some also offer
meats and dairy products. You can also find a great deal of homemade products
such as jams, jellies, or spice mixes there; also along with many other types of products.
So are there
benefits of buying these types of items at a farmers market, rather than a
grocery store?
1. The first benefit is that you are
supporting your local farmers and small business owners by purchasing their
products, rather than those that are imported to the big box stores from other
states or even other countries. Did you know that when you buy produce at the
grocery store the farmer actually only receive less than 10 cents from each
retail dollar? But when you purchase directly such as a farmers market or a CSA
program, your local farmer is able to earn a larger profit to sustain their business
and bring you more produce in the future.
3. The third benefit is really two fold, they are
able to bring products to people who otherwise would not have the opportunity
to get seasonal produce or other unique items and because their selling direct,
the prices are often times much cheaper. You don’t have a middleman marking up
prices or tacking on extra for the transportation of the products.
4. The fourth benefit of buying from a farmers’
market is that it is a healthier option. You actually ask the farmer what
pesticides they used; if any, whether the produce is from hybrid, heirloom, certified
organic, non-gmo, treated, or untreated seeds.
5. The last benefit is that the profit
that the farmer does make generally stays in the community. So it’s a circle of
community, you buy from them and in turn they use that money to help further
support your community by also shopping locally.
Now let’s get to those tips for getting the best deals at farmers’
markets….
As you already know, before you go grocery shopping in general, you
should always plan ahead. Make a list of what you’re looking to purchase and
set a budget. So why would this be important? Because a majority of us make impulse
purchases based on how we’re feeling and what we see. And let me tell you,
everything at a farmers’ market looks terrific and while that is not a bad
thing, if you over-purchase and are not able to either eat or preserve your
bounty; it is liable to go to waste.
Don’t be Too Early:
This tip may surprise you, but going too early can cost you money. Are
you confused yet? Let me explain why this is important. When you show up to the
farmers market day one at the opening time, you are going to pay full-price
for everything. Now if that doesn’t bother you, then by all means get there
early. However, if you are like me and a bit more frugal minded, showing up too
early will cost you more. Just like at garage sales, farmers tend to reduce
their prices towards the end of the day. They don’t want to tote a bunch of
left over produce home after sitting out in the sun all day. So go a bit later
in the day towards the closing time. Now I mean maybe a couple hours before
close, if they're set to close at 5:00 don’t show up just at 4:50. If you do, the
selection might minimal and you might not find what you need.
Be Flexible:
If you go with the intention of buying one item for a specific pie for
instance, and they're either out of it or the price for that certain thing is too
high; be flexible. Look around! There are many more options so instead of getting
peaches, maybe grab some strawberries or blueberries and so forth. And while
you’re there, it’s perfectly acceptable to price match the different vendors.
Prices do vary, based on the costs related to each particular farmer for
growing their crops.
Be Loyal:
I know this sounds contrary to what I just mentioned but it’s not. If you
stay loyal to a couple different vendors, you can earn discounts! That’s right,
saving at the produce stand is possible. Through your repeat business, you
build a relationship with your farmer. Trust me, they appreciate this. They are
more likely to reward your loyalty with discounts too. Take the time to talk
with them, get to know them and build that relationship. If you buy something
from them and really enjoyed it last week, tell them. They love to hear that
you enjoy their product.
Don’t be Afraid to Buy in Bulk:
Buying in bulk can seem intimidating to some people, but it shouldn’t be.
There are many benefits to buying in bulk. The first of these is that farmers
tend to give you better deals, sometimes up to 20-30% off. Another benefit from
buying in bulk is that you can preserve the items to build your food storage.
Many of the items can be canned, dehydrated, or frozen for later use. Now let’s
say you did all that, but still have too much? Donate the leftovers if you are
not able to use them before they go bad. Don’t waste it. You can share it with
family, friends, or donate it to local food banks or churches. This is a great
way to bless others with your bounty.
If you’re not sure how or where to find a farmers market near you, I
found a couple resources to help.
The United States Department of Agriculture has an Agricultural Marketing
Service page that has a Farmers Markets Search. You just enter your zip code and a radius size,
like 5 miles, and it will show you locations of farmers markets around you:
Another great resource for you is localharvest.org This site helps
connect you with local farmers markets, CSAs, events, and even farms in your
area:
Community Supported Agriculture
Now if you have trouble finding farmers markets in your area, you can
also look into CSAs. If you’re not familiar with what these are, it stands for
community supported agriculture.
Farmers at CSAs offer what they call “shares” to the public. These shares
are boxes typically of vegetables, fruits, or eggs and in some cases farms also
offer milk or meat products. You would pay a subscription fee to the farm in advance
and you can set up to receive your share weekly, biweekly, or monthly based on
how the program works. Some of the boxes have a standard variety of food, so
everyone receives the same items, or at some CSAs you can personalize your box
by your own choices.
Farmers encourage CSAs because getting the money early in the season
helps them to maintain the expenses of their farm and it’s a way to market
their products.
A shareholder, that’s you, benefit because you get fresh produce on a
routine schedule and you get to know your personal farmers. Some CSAs will have
you stop by on your scheduled pickup day, but a few of them also deliver or
have a local meeting place for pick up.
One thing to remember if you choose to sign up for a CSA, is to read the
fine print. The idea of a CSA is that “we’re all in this together”, so that
means if a drought hits and the farmer loses their crops; members do too. Each
Farm has their own rules and contingency plans for these situations so check
with them before because many farms will not refund the money.
You can find more information on CSAs at:
When I was growing up my parents would go as the farmers market was closing. Living on one income, they had to make their limited resources stretch. It was amazing how many farmers just threw their produce away. Perfectly good produce - dumped. I'm not sure if they still do this. When we would go dumpster diving, it was back in the 1970s. They also would buy produce from farmers in bulk to can and freeze. I remember getting to the market early in the morning some weeks and they would buy crates or bushels full of vegetables and fruits. I know they saved a lot of money buying at the farmers market rather than at the store.
ReplyDeleteHi, I like your comments and suggestions and I too like to support local business. But in our area it's much more expensive than buying produce at the grocery store. Even for fruit from the SAME orchard. Sometimes I wonder if we are willing to do it just for "bragging rights". If the farmers get only 10% of the retail price when they sell to stores, why are the prices at the Farmers Mkt so high for the same item?
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