It's all about Farmer's Markets!

This morning I had the pleasure of doing one of my favorite things: Shopping at my local farmers market! These days almost all cities, towns, and communities have some sort of farmers market. I am really lucky here in Phoenix, I have several to choose from. Almost everyday of the week there is a farmers market set up in a different valley location. For all of my local AZ readers, I have posted a link below to see all the days, times, and locations.
I haven't always been a farmers market shopper, but let me tell you, "Once you go local you never go back!"

My farm fresh eggs hanging in my kitchen!

In my quest to live a healthier lifestyle, I have found that shopping at the local farmers market gives me the most quality, organic produce at the lowest price. A few of the staple foods in my families diet, I now exclusively buy at the farmers market. Farm fresh eggs for example. Once you have tasted an egg
straight from the farm, you will wonder why you were ever buying store bought eggs to begin with! The consistency, color, and taste of the eggs are a whole world different! And did you know they don't have to be refrigerated?? That's right...straight from the hen's coop to an egg basket in your kitchen. The whole reason store bought eggs have to be refrigerated is because they go through a series of "baths", of bleach and other chemicals. This process strips them of a natural coating they have that keeps them fresh. We are actually one of the only countries in the world that refrigerate their eggs! At my local market, I pay $4 a dozen. Before, when I was buying the quality organic eggs at the grocery store I would pay $4 at least...sometimes $5. The cost difference for me is almost nothing, and I am getting the freshest, tastiest, eggs ever! Some of my other favorite products to buy at farmers market are fresh, local honey, avocado oil (healthiest oil to cook under heat), and 100% grass fed beef.

Fresh, un-processed honey!

Beef from happy cows!

Avocado Oil

Farmers markets are great for so many reasons other than fresh organic food. They are a healthy part of our culture that brings together the consumer and the grower. This atmosphere ensures that there is a transparency to the food system. What I find is that so many Americans are very disconnected from their food source. We mindlessly pull items off the shelf on our weekly grocery store trip, not really thinking about where it came from, or who was involved in its production. This is scary because so often  the faces behind the food industry are not at all concerned with you or your health.

On the flip side, shopping at the farmers market, you are having face to face interaction with the people who grow and produce the food you are buying. You'll find out that most of them are just regular folks who have families just like yours. The difference is they care about the health of others, and our planet. Sometimes at the farmers market, some unique items do cost a little bit more. But for me, I would way rather hand that extra dollar over to a man or woman who I can look in the eye, instead of into a big pot of corporate money that's going to the CEO of some food processing plant who is raking in millions of dollars a year and sacrificing the health of it's customer in order to do so.

Here are some of my favorite reasons to shop farmers markets : 

• Fresh, Fresh, Fresh! The freshest produce you can buy aside from growing it yourself! It's straight from the ground to you.
• Buying whats in season. It's very important for our health to be eating foods that are in season locally. Great prices on Organically grown produce!
• Unique items you cant find at your local supermarket.
• Farm fresh Eggs!
• Free range organic meats.
• Sustainability for our environment! This is a whole other topic in itself, so lets just say.... if you care at all about the health of our planet, this is a great way to honor it.
• Friendly, chill atmosphere.
• Fun place to take kids!
• No harmful toxic chemicals, additives, or preservatives!

I hope you find yourself strolling the rows at your local farmers market soon! I would love to hear comments about your experiences with markets. I know I have alot of California and Arizona readers so below I have links to finding farmers markets in your areas. For my other readers, it's easy to go online and google the name of your state and farmers market.
Hope you all have a great holiday weekend! I bet there will be some great markets being held in a town near you this very weekend!


Blessings,
Lisa

Links:

http://www.cafarmersmarkets.com/index.cfm

http://www.arizonafarmersmarkets.com/