words by Madeleine Shaw

Going to your local farmers market is quite a treat. The buzz of the growers, the ray of colours and smell of fresh food leaves you salivating. Not only do you save your pennies but also the environment and your body’s overall wellbeing.

4 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD SHOP AT A LOCAL FARERS MARKET

Nutrition 
We live in a society that is over fed but undernourished. We may think that going to our local super market we can get good quality produce however most food has been grown thousands of miles away. Research shows that the average carrot has travelled 1,838 miles to reach your dinner table. The most important factor when it comes to nutrient value is how long it is been out of the ground before it is consumed.  Food can take day’s maybe evens weeks to be picked packaged and trucked to the stores where it sits shelved. Due to this long journey food is sprayed with pesticides and other chemicals to reduce germs, bacteria and preserve the food. Once a food is picked its nutrient content begins to deteriorate. Buying locally ensures maximum nutrient content of food, dosing you up on those needed vitamins and minerals.

Support your local Economy and the Environment
Supporting your local economy is essential, as it puts money into the pockets of your neighbors. It increases the economy of everyone around and creates a great friendly community. Locally grown food travels a shorter distance, so less carbon dioxide is emitted into atmosphere. The further away the food is grown the farther it has to travel to you, leading to more carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere.  So buying local you contributes to your economy and help save this wonderful planet of ours.

Tasty Goodness 
Seeing as the produce is grown close to home, it is FRESH. We all know that the fresher the produce the yummier it tastes. Produce looses flavor and freshness during refrigeration, shipping and while it sits in the warehouses along the distribution chain.

Penny-wise
In season locally grown produce is harvested in abundance, which means there is a surplus, so the cost is down. You can buy in season produce, and freeze it for a later date.

For your local farmers market ask around, ring up your council or just google search it.  It is a really nice weekend adventure and males you very inspired to get in the kitchen.