Saturday, June 12, 2010

Farmer's markets

Part of the fun of visiting local farmer's markets is the sense of community.

Buying a bunch of turnips or a loaf of bread from a wood-fired oven or home-grown native plants means a direct connection from producer to consumer.

It's a pleasant feeling.

I grow quite a few of our own vegetables, to be sure, but to buy eggs from the farmer who talks about her hens that have been foraging on clover is a lovely thing.

Some folks think it's a bit rarified (even elitist) to buy relatively well-priced veggies and other products, when many people don't have access to fresh vegetables of any sort in 'urban deserts.'

Well, that's true. But, given the opportunity, isn't it a good thing to support local small farmers and producers of bread, cheese, and other goods?

It's an exceptional experience to be able to buy farm-raised trout from the local producer or SC scallops directly from someone who has connections from the coast near Georgetown, SC or black drum from the NC coast.