| There’s no denying that some people can be intimidated or overwhelmed by the level of interaction a farmers market makes possible. We’re not used to asking about our food in the grocery store, and we think farmers might not want to hear a bunch of stupid questions from a farmers market neophyte. But the whole point of a farmers market is to get you closer to your food, so if you don’t know more about what you bring home from the market than what you buy in the grocery store, you may need these “do’s” and just one don’t to help you feel more comfortable actually talking to the people who grow your food.
DO ask the name of the fruit or veggie you are about to buy, and what type of cooking or eating it’s best for. Ask how long it will stay fresh or whether it still needs to ripen a bit. Ask where the pigs for the bacon were raised or where the goats whose milk makes the cheese are pastured.
DO ask what kind of pesticides and fertilizers a farmer uses, if the food is not identified as organic. Most farmers will tell you when the crops were sprayed. Lots of times you’ll learn that, due to specific weather or other conditions, they have not been sprayed at all.
DO comparison shop and make your choices after you’ve perused all the stalls selling the same type of products. Farmers may price their wares differently based on their economies of scale, transportation costs, abundance or shortage of supply, or their perception of the quality of their product.
DON’T treat the farmers market like a flea market. The farmers are generally not going to bargain with you on a posted price. What you can do to cut costs is ask if there is a discount for buying in bulk or for buying seconds (fruit or veggies that may have bruises or imperfections which can easily be cut out).
Local Mix Email Newsletter, September 7, 2006
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