Consumers can now go online to find farmers markets located not only where they live, but where they might be camping or traveling during the summer.
Small Farm Produce Now a Growth Sector
A strange mix of facts and figures has put a new emphasis on farmers markets, now numbering about 5,000 and scattered across the country. The U. S. Department of Agriculture reports that a consolidation of medium and large farms has, strangely, led to the growth and expansion of small farms, reversing a trend many had believed would lead to small farm extinction.
In our era of large commercial farms producing products that often travel hundreds of miles from farm to table, consumers are looking for alternative sources of food and have begun increased support of their small farm neighbors.
Health Concerns Lead to Buying Local Produce
Some of the new, additional support for local farmers is also derived from health concerns about both the insecticides and fertilizers used by mammoth farm conglomerates, and the preservatives used in foods distributed via commercial long distance transportation . Increasingly, going “green” around packaging materials, and buying “organic”, have meant buying locally.
Consumers are increasingly interested in knowing how their produce is grown and where it comes from. For some young families, it’s going back to great-granny’s time. They buy in conjunction with the local harvest schedule, canning and freezing their own food so they know exactly what’s in it. They are also educating their children in the farm-to-table process.
Government Providing Marketing Services for Farmers
The U. S. Department of Agriculture now has an Agricultural Marketing Service which provides a wide array of resources for small farmers. In 2005, it formed a Farmers Market Consortium. This initiative led to creation of the Farmers Market Resource Guide.
The online data base tells whether a farmer’s market is open all year, what types of payment are honored, what the schedule is, and even lists websites for many of the farmers markets. The markets are searchable by name, town, state and zip code.
Farmers Markets Dot the Map
The farmers markets are indeed located in every state, from sea to shining sea, as well as from the Canadian border to the Mexican border. They can be found in rural, suburban and city landscapes. Many communities have more than one. They are also commonly found in resort areas near the seashore, lakes and mountains.
SOURCES: U. S. Department of Agriculture’s website, Farmers Market Resource Guide and Farmers Market database
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