Top 10 reasons to shop at the Farmer's Market

We have a huge stack of magazines that we have been going through at our house. So, as I am glancing through them trying to decide if there are articles I want to save I run across a list in the August/October 2008 issue of Organic Gardening promoting National Farmer's Week.

Since our Farmer's Markets are starting soon I thought this would be a nice article to post. My comments are in blue.

Opening Day for Salisbury Farmer's Market- April 17, 2010

Davidson Farmer's Market- May 1, 2010

Here's the article:

Top 10

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Here are our top reasons to shop at the farmer's market.

1. You can ask the grower questions directly: Will this pepper be hot enough for chili? Can I use this potato to make hash browns.

2. You can get gardening tips from people who grow food for a living.

3. You support the grower rather than a middleman, and put money into your local economy.

4. Samples of fresh food let you discover varieties, and sometimes even vegetables (like sea spinach), that are completely new to you.

5. Buying locally produced food reduces your carbon footprint.

6. The food comes with a story.

7. It keeps farmland from turning into more subdivisions.

8. No beeping scanners or chiming registers- just a "howdy" and a cigar box with jingling chance in it.

9. Real music played by bands, not piped-in Muzak.

10. The dog can come along- try that in your supermarket.

I would suggest you ask the Market manager or vendors if pets are allowed. The Salisbury Farmer's Market does not allow pets but the Davidson Farmer's Market does allow pets.