Why should you visit your local Rochester farmers market at least once each week or weekend during high producing months each season? One, by purchasing your produce at a Rochester farmers market you are automatically keeping local money in the local market. If you purchase your fruits and vegetables from a national chain grocery store, that money is not necessarily staying in the local economy. Sure, it provides jobs to your friends and neighbors, but the money will go back to the farmer or producer, who could be located on the other side of the country. Keep money local by purchasing your produce at a Rochester farmers market.
Two, by buying other items at a Rochester farmers market like honey, bread, cheese and meat, you are furthering this idea of the farm to table concept that has recently swept the nation. Many people often think only of fruits like apples and peaches and vegetables like corn and potatoes when they hear of a Rochester farmers market. But more than ever, small producers of everything from artisanal breads to arts and crafts are selling their products at these markets, which furthers the concept of keeping local money local.
Three, by exploring a Rochester farmers market you get to actually meet the people making these foods in person. Often, the owners of these farms are tight knit families and they travel together to these markets, making themselves available to chat with customers who have questions about the foods they sell. They can speak about the methods they use, whether they use pesticides or make organic products, and how they cultivate these foods in greater detail than anyone at your local grocery store can do.
Four, by hitting a Rochester farmers market on the weekend or whenever a Rochester public market is open for business, you foster a greater understanding of who is making your food and you give your kids more of an education on it too. Take them to the Rochester market with you and help them pick out ripe vegetables and fruits. When you walk around, you might even notice different foods that you may have avoided at the grocery store because they were too expensive or unfamiliar. But because you can talk with these producers at nearly every Rochester farmers market, you can gather useful advice on how to cook these foods, and often you pay less for them too.