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| UM Township Supervisor and market organizer Erika Spott, and market organizer Carole Kenney work at the market every Saturday 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. | |
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The farmers’ market season has begun, my favorite time of year. Why do so many customers prefer the farmers market experience? For many years, our society has been used to getting any kind of food at any time of year, not really aware of how far that food has traveled or what has gone into the production. For many, the reasons for buying at these markets is about food quality and freshness. These are important reasons, the fresher a food, the higher the nutritional content and the better the taste.
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Three day old calf gets her alone time with Mom to get a good start |
For my family, another and equally important issue is that of fairness for the farmer and their workers as well as any livestock they may raise. At this time of year we have the pleasure of going to various markets to shop and meet our neighbors as well as the very people who choose to spend their lives working to feed us. The choice to purchase in this way ensures that your food is not traveling sometimes thousands of miles to our plate, reducing pollution and conserving gas. Most if not all farmers at a market practice methods that also greatly reduce the impact on the environment. By purchasing organically grown produce and grass-fed animal products, the reliance on petrochemical based fertilizers and pesticides is greatly reduced.
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Visiting the farm and especially the girls as they munch grass and weeds to make us milk. |
How often do we hear of food borne illnesses spread across the country, which tend to come from large production facilities? On the other hand, many of the farmers you meet at the market welcome visitors to the farm, and from my own experience at many of these locations, one can easily see a very clean and efficient operation, not an unknown or unseen factory far away. At each market we attend we find have been lucky to learn the names of the families producing for us. As more and more items from around the world are easily available and cheap, I choose to find a way in my budget to purchase the best food I can afford and to help support my local environment and economy. I like knowing that my money supports both those that I meet at the market as well as the workers they employ, who can in turn support other businesses with their dollars. Being an avid heirloom vegetable gardener, I can offset some of the slightly higher costs by providing many basics from my own backyard.
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What a micro farm in your own backyard can produce. |
I love being at the market to see friends, to get new recipes, to be aware of community events. Many markets offer activities that educate children and encourage them to try new foods that Mom and Dad may not be able to. We are fortunate in our district to have several markets and I look forward to encouraging you all to check each one out and to introduce you to some of my farmer friends.
Oakmont Farmers Market, Havertown PA, Wednesday 3-7pm, 2419 W. Darby Road
Bryn Mawr Farmers Market, Saturday, 10 am-2pm, Municipal Lot, Lancaster Avenue at Morris, www.oakmontfarmersmarket.org
Upper Merion, Township Building, Saturday, 9 am-1pm, 175 W. Valley Forge Road, King of Prussia, www.uppermerionfarmersmarket.org
Bala Cynwyd, Thursday, 3 - 7pm, GSB Building parking lot, Belmont Avenue and St. Asaph’s Road, www.balacynwydfarmersmarket.weebly.com
Conshohocken, Friday 10 am-3pm, Washington Fire House, Fayette Street, Conshohocken
About the authors:
Meghan and Danny Goosen are a local couple, passionate about promoting local food, commerce and common sense means to provide everyone the best and healthiest food available. They have done organic gardening and farming for 15 years. Since they know what it is like to lose a whole years tomato crop in one year from a Mid-West hail storm, they approach local food seriously, knoing that these hardworking people and animals are our neighbors too. They now practice micro-farming, producing hundreds of pounds of produce every summer in little more that 400 square feet. We are pleased to be able to help in this endeavor to inform more of our area population to the many benefits of farm markets and local, sustainable, prosperous choices.
