Farmer's Markets: The Untold Story

Farmer's Markets: impractical exercise in idealism or a Newer Better Way?

Ever wonder? We did. (Okay, okay, I did.) So... our hard-hitting reporter (me) went undercover to get the REAL story, an exposé of the soft flabby underbelly of the world of Farmer's Markets.

This is what I expect to find in a Farmer's Market

Not this:

Myth #1: Farmer's Markets are a place where local farmers can bring local fruits and vegetables to local people. That way, people can bypass big chain grocery stores that have been known to haul food from hundred or thousands of miles away.

Well, they probably have local pies... maybe even fruit pies

Truth #1:

It's local, but sometimes it's animal or mineral rather than vegetable.

In other words, you might have to look hard before you can find a vegetable stand at a Farmer's Market. Our reporter reports that the local market near her house features 3 or 4 food stalls for every 1 vegetable stand. Also, there were stalls selling insurance policies, crafts, and assorted weird stuff. (Yes, I realize the insurance policies and crafts were probably local. I don't care. It's just not the same.)

I have seen the light... Beer has hops... hops come from farms... maybe this is okay...

Myth #2: Farmer's Markets are organic

Truth #2: Really? Where's that written down anywhere? It's local and it's fresh, but that doesn't mean Farmer Phil didn't spray pesticides on his stuff. If it ain't specified, don't assume. It's local, which means it's so fresh you might want to slap it, but that doesn't automatically mean organic. You're going to find a wider selection of organic produce than at the store, but not all of it is.

Organic BBQ?

Myth #3: Farmer's Markets are more expensive than the grocery store.

Truth #3: Well, okay, so this one isn't necessarily a myth, or rather it's only a partial myth. In other words, It Depends.

I couldn't find white-coated research studies that dealt with the subject in an ept manner. According to one survey, people bought from farmer's market or roadside stand because 'freshness' was important. That seems so obvious that I wonder why they would ask the question.

On the other hand, when science lets you down, there's always Blogland. The blogger Mama Goes Green led me to the Neighborhood Farmers Market Alliance blog, who conducted their own research and collected data from a class statistics project that showed buying locally actually was cheaper on the whole:

Average savings at market: $.62

Average miles saved by buying local: over 900

Granted with a name like Farmers Market Alliance there just might possibly be a wee bit of bias there, but they obligingly show the data that led to the conclusions.

I think it's really cool to buy local, whether we're talking vegetables or crafts and BBQ. I wouldn't have a problem with people coming to a street near me to sell these things. It just bothers me that it's called a "Farmer's Market" when it's really a no-calories-barred street fair.



Am I being too fussy? Are your local Farmer's Market events full of stuff fresh off the farm?

Farmer's Markets! (And Boring Internet Update)

As she writes this, Crabby is still experiencing major internet connection problems and still has only sporadic web access. She purchased a new router over the weekend with high hopes, but attempting to install it crashed both her computer and the Lobster's! It took quite a while to get back to the starting point of just sporadic internet access. (The salesman at Radio Shack listened with a very bored expression as Crabby trued to explain all the horrible and unexpected things the installation disk had done to both computers. Then he wrote, as the reason for return: "Customer Changed Mind." A**hole. But at least he took the Evil Router back and refunded Crabby's money).

Anyway, Crabby finally said "the hell with it" and went out to play instead. Which was fun! Washington D.C. is an amazing city with lots to see and do.

Crabby does feel badly, however, about her neglected Blog Duties and will do the best she can to get up and running again. When there is internet available, she will try to do actual Health News Reporting and respond to awesome reader comments that come in! When there is no internet: more posts like this one that can be composed off-line and slipped in whenever the Web Access Gods allow. Hopefully, normal service will be restored soon.

Let's see, the topic was... that's right, farmers’ markets! Crabby went to a new one this weekend. She and the Lobster love going to farmer's markets, though for some reason, they can never remember they're called that and refer to them as "Flea Markets" instead.

So here are some things Crabby loves about farmers’ markets:

1. The free samples!

2. Unless it is a Fake farmers’ market, the produce is local and fresh and incredibly tasty. Even the vegetables are good.

3. You get to feel sort of smug because even though it’s fun, you’re doing this really healthy thing.

4. It's not like at the grocery store: almost everyone at a farmers' market looks really glad to be there.

5. Sometimes the people selling the produce are actually the people who grew the produce. Why is this so nice? Hard to explain--it just is!

6. Local musicians often play at farmers' markets, and some of them are really talented.

7. More free samples!

8. There are usually food vendors who serve at least semi-healthy food, and also Junky Food is available too if you’re in that sort of mood. For some reason, it all tastes better there.

9. Many people bring their kids and friends and dogs and make an outing of it, so it feels more like an Amusement Park than like a chore.

10. Even More Free Samples!

11. After a while, you get the hang of who has the produce you like the best and when it’s worth paying more for something and when it isn’t and you get to feel like a “regular.”

12. Holy Cow, there are still a whole bunch more Free Samples!



However, this wouldn't be Cranky Fitness unless there were a few Quibbles, even about something totally cool like a Farmers Market:

1. It can be hot and crowded and the lines can get long.

2. Bags of produce can get heavy if carried home for many many blocks. (For no real reason, it is a point of pride with both Crabby and the Lobster not to ever drive to a Farmers Market. Why is this the fault if the farmers market? It's not! But nonetheless, the bags do get heavy).

3. One can become so enchanted by the freshness and the variety of the produce that one can end up purchasing Way More than any human can eat before it goes bad.

4. The prices are not always cheap.

5. You can totally fall in love with some item one week and then never see it again. Or at least not until next year. (Supermarkets, on the other hand, will sell you a crappy version from far away for way longer, postponing your disappointment until you get the item home and discover it doesn't taste very good).

6. Local musicians often play at farmers' markets, and some of them are really awful.

7. The Free Samples! (There are only so many you can enjoy, especially if you just ate before you went, but Crabby can never, ever, seem to turn down a Free Sample.)

Do any of you have a nearby farmers' market or something similar? Or, if you have any thoughts about produce, Weekends, Computer failures/crashes, or anything at all, Crabby loves your comments! (Even though she has been terribly remiss lately about responding to them all).