The DeKalb Farmer’s Market held its Backpack for Children annual art sale Saturday, where handmade art and pottery by local artisans was available to visitors along with an abundance of the other great items on sale every week.
The DeKalb Farmer’s Market is a great place to get your quality food items right here in Smithville. Located just behind Ace Hardware, you’ll find fresh vegetables, fruits, jellies and jams and a cornucopia of everything in between. One things is the same though, it’s fresh and homegrown.
Tina Myers is a longtime local resident who runs an herb booth and is getting ready to kick it into high gear.
"I’m getting ready for next year to go full force,” said Myers, who had unique items at discounted rates to round up this year’s offerings like her Cuban Oregano plant that melts in your spaghetti sauce then the leaves grow back.
The United States Department of Agriculture says that, between the years of 2008 and 2013, the number of farmers’ markets doubled across the country. If you wanted to find out first-hand how farmer’s markets are doing, you can ask April Martin. Martin was on hand Saturday from the UT Extension of the Institute of Agriculture and is the agent for DeKalb County.
Farmers’ markets will continue to thrive and expand as people increasingly realize the benefits of supporting local food providers. Buyers who are not yet familiar with farmer’s markets can examine the following seven reasons to break the ice.
1. Enjoy fresh, seasonal foods
Foods at farmers’ markets tend to be limited to in-season offerings. Some nutritionists suggest eating seasonally available foods is better for your body, because humans ate seasonal produce for thousands of years before shipping and refrigeration changed how people received the majority of their foods. In addition, many people feel that fresh, seasonal foods taste better than the alternatives.
2. Discover new foods
There’s always something new at a farmers market, and this can entice shoppers to expand their flavor palates. Explore interesting, locally grown items. Even children may fall in love with colorful fruits or vegetables and their refreshing tastes.
3. Embrace organic and non-GMO offerings
Many farmers markets offer foods that are organically grown and are produced without GMOs. Farmers market retailers also tend to give firsthand accounts of where their foods come from and how they are grown or raised.
4. Indulge in nutritious foods
The vivid colors and smells emanating from farmers markets indicate just how fresh and nutritious the offerings tend to be. Farmers who peddle their wares at farmers markets adhere to careful farming methods to ensure their foods are as nutritious as possible.
5. Learn secrets and recipes
In addition to fresh produce, farmers markets may offer baked and other prepared goods. Shopkeepers often mingle with their customers, offering trade secrets and recipe ideas. Additionally, local farm families supported by farmers markets generally offer supreme customer service to keep shoppers coming back week after week.
6. Turn the trip into a social excursion
A farmers market can be an exciting and flavorful social gathering place for families and groups of friends, as well as a great place to meet other members of the community. Sometimes farmers also mingle with local artisans, so the market can be a one-stop-shopping locale for locally produced food and art.
7. Save money
Farmers markets may sell organic produce at a cost comparable or even lower than other retailers. That’s because local farmers don’t have to transport their items as far as retailers whose foods were shipped from faraway places.
Any time of the year is perfect for grabbing a tote bag and browsing the wares at a nearby farmers market, where shoppers are bound to find something fresh, unique and delicious.
