Good evening!
Since I am an early riser, or rather, since I feel guilty about sleeping in, I use the wee hours of Saturday and Sunday mornings to travel to farmers markets that are spotted across Melbourne. This is possibly my favorite part of the week.
Farmers markets are important because:
- The produce is often picked or made the day before the market, so freshness is guaranteed!
- Due to the freshness there is no need for preservatives or chemicals to be used thus the food is better for you and the environment.
- Farmers markets are better for the farmer. This is both in terms of being able to get a reasonable price for the their produce, as they are cutting out the unnecessary middle man, and also to see the support they are receiving from the community.
- Farmers markets are great for bringing together people in a community who usually don’t communicate.
- Your hard earned cash isn’t going to a big corporation, such as Woolworths or Coles, who don’t care about the farmer or you the consumer, but instead about making a quick profit at the expense of the environment, quality etc etc etc…..
- Your food will rack up a lot less food miles.
- Farmers markets promote a more organic and appreciative way of living not only is most of the food is organic or close to, but it reminds us that it came from a farm and someone else worked hard to produce it.
- Farmers markets take us back to days of old when we had to go to the butcher, the baker and the milkman individually for our week’s tucker.
- No plastic bags are allowed. Trolleys, baskets and calico bags are a fashion must at a farmers market
- There is less to no cost for the storage of food because it is fresh, thus reducing your carbon footprint.
So this week visit your local farmers market, there’s no need to get up early they are usually open to 1 or 2pm or even later. Meet the people who are growing your food, and give some support to your local farmers, they are doing it tough and need your support, trust me, I come from a long line of them.
Check out these sites for your local market or links to one near you:
Regional Farmers Markets Victorian Farmers Market Association
Slow Food, Melbourne Farmers' Market Australian Farmers Market Association
Love from the Intern. xxx
