Localmotion

If you read this blog you may have noticed my affection for Farmer’s Markets. Truth be told, I’d rather go to a Farmer’s Market than a mall any old day (next week I’ll be visiting a Farmer’s Market in Hilo, Hawaii – yipee!). Some of my fondest childhood memories involve slowly strolling through the Farmer’s Market aisles, wide eyed with wonder at both the familiar and new offerings on each table. From the colors and aromas to the anticipation of tasting something I had never tried before, those trips felt like adventures! And all these years later, they’re just as exciting – truly a feast for the senses.

As a grown up, I now know a lot more about the importance of Farmer’s Markets. They help local economies, help farmers (about $.90 of each dollar goes straight to the farmer), bring communities back to life (i.e. “if you build it they will come” – sorry, yet another movie reference), and have a huge impact on the health of the planet (did you know that from field to fork, our food typically travels 1,500 miles – that’s a lotta fuel).

And nutritionally speaking, eating locally gown in-season food is phenomenal for your health, for lots of reasons. First, freshly picked fully ripe fruits and veggies taste so darn good, you’ll actually eat ‘em (instead of letting them rot in the crisper). And, they’re chock full of nutrients – did you know that vitamin levels can drop by 50% within the first 7 days after harvesting (so you gotta get ‘em while the gettin’s good)? And, because your bounty will be so yummy, preparing them is easy breazy (i.e. slice some fresh tomatoes and basil leaves, drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette and voila!).

If you’re not sure where the fabulous Farmer’s Markets are in your area, check out this link. Hopefully, you’ll find an adventure too!
http://www.ams.usda.gov/farmersmarkets/map.htm

I took this photo at the Jean-Talon Market in Montreal – is this beautiful or what?

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