Restaurants throughout the country have recently embraced the idea of using local foods whenever possible. The idea is to cut down the carbon footprint that might otherwise result if the food came from a longer distance, and it embraces the ideal of supporting locally grown products. This idea of eating local to support your own community has become an increasingly popular trend. By simply driving around on Saturdays or Sundays, you can quite easily see signs of farmers markets in many different neighborhoods. People enjoy the personal touch that comes with a local seller, and people are beginning to place a higher value on the idea of organically grown food. In fact, the state of New York ranks as one of the states with the greatest growth of farmer’s markets.
Farmer’s markets have been an integral part of society, from the time of bartering until now. In fact, at one point, purchasing from farmers was the only way that people could purchase fresh produce. It is great to see this tradition regaining popularity and being revitalized. The Rochester public market, for instance, has been around since 1905. Nowadays, the Rochester Market is open three days a week all year round, and it serves fresh produce, baked goods and specialty products. On certain days at the Rochester Market, there are musicians playing for a light hearted ambience. Frequenting the Rochester market means that you are interacting repeatedly with the same producers. This way, you can build relationships with them over time. It adds to the sense of community and makes every trip to the Rochester Market more enjoyable. Some producers avoid these market for fear of competition, yet contrary to popular belief, these types of markets generate more money when there are a greater number of producers, as it gives people the chance to browse and have a variety of choices from which they can purchase.
The Rochester Market has also extended its marketing to the digital world. You can look up special events, such as art or music events online. You can look even look at Rochester Farmers Market producers’ profiles; and remember, in order to be supremely environmentally friendly, bring your own reusable bag!