Why Shop at a Farmers Market?
There are huge benefits to buying your groceries and handmade goods at your local farmers market. Not only are you meeting the people that made what you are buying, but you are also keeping your money local and helping to create jobs in your area. This is more environmentally friendly because transport is significantly shorter, and in the case of food, it is fresher. Meeting the people that produce your produce and products helps to create important relationships with people in your community. By purchasing from the farmers market you are supporting community events and education.
Do you know where your food comes from? Most of us go to the grocery store and buy what we need without even knowing when or where it was produced. Chances are you don't know what state or even country your food was produced. You also don't know if it was picked a week ago or a month ago. You don't know what pesticides or herbicides were used on it. In the case of animal products, you don't know if it was produced humanely, ethically, or sustainably. Do you know how many cows were used in the making of your hamburger?
When you buy your food at the farmers market, you are talking directly to the person who produced it. That person can tell you exactly how your produce was grown and how well their animals are treated. They can tell you if it was picked last night or that morning and how far they had to drive to get it to you. The small scale food production sold at a farmers' markets is the most humanely produced and best quality food that you will find.
The Iron County Farmers Market works hard to put on community events, education events, demonstrations, and activities. This is funded through people shopping at our market, purchasing promotional items, and donations. We are a non-profit organization with an all volunteer board of directors that work hard to provide these events, but in order to do that we need support from the community. When you shop at the Iron County Farmers Market you are helping to fund these activities and supporting your local community.