Celebrating Fresh Food During National Farmers Market Week

This week is National Farmers Markets Week, and the good news is that farmers and vendors have been able to operate continuously through the past few years.

Hailey Lamb with the Michigan Farmers Market Association explains vendors all around the state have been encouraged throughout this time by local communities.

“Markets across the state are working with their communities and other organizations to make sure as many people in the community as possible can feed their families really healthy, local, fresh food”

Farmers markets offer a healthy, open-air environment and they impact your local community directly.

“For every dollar you spend at a local business, like the farmers and vendors that you’re shopping with at your local farmers market, those dollars return about three times more money to the community you live in, than if you’d spent it at a big chain supermarket…one of my favorite parts is the social impact, so you really get to know your neighbors as well as your food.  You know, over the last few years especially, grocery shopping is not a thing we’re really looking forward to, you know you get in, you get the items you need, and you get out. Whereas a farmers market, you get to take a little bit more time, you get to enjoy the sights and smells and the sounds of the market.”

Farmers markets are a vital part of an entire community, but there is more than simply fresh foods.

“Many markets team up with community organizations, like their local libraries to host events as part of the market, so kids can learn and play and really get involved and learning what goes onto their dinner plates… yes of course we love the fruits and vegetables at the market, but there’s so much more than that.”

It’s a direct connection, farm to fork.

“So many folks are really disconnected from their food and to be able to connect with their farmer at the market and really find out, okay, I know I need potatoes for a recipe I have planned this week, but what variety would work best… folks can learn how their food was grown.”

It’s stone fruit time and peaches and plums are the highlight in August in the Great Lakes state. Enjoying those items is a great way for Michigan residents to stay fresh.

Find local markets at the MIFMA website.

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