Your Local Farmer's Market

I enjoy the fact that now summer is full swing all of the local Farmer's Markets are open and starting to bring in delicious produce. I love being able to support local vendors who feel passionately about growing their own produce and being able to share it with people, like me, who don't garden. I would love to have a garden, but I don't have the space to grow produce, so I rely on my local Farmer's Market to obtain this delicious produce. 

Just this last weekend, my husband and I headed over to our local market in Noblesville, IN. We were able to get red potatoes, green beans and some heirloom tomatoes. They were amazing and the tomatoes were 10 x better than anything you can purchase at the grocery store. We took the dog, walked over to the Farmer's Market and enjoyed the sights and sounds of a local band playing, while we walked around and picked out our produce. I feel so much more connected to my food, when I am able to meet the people who grow it and enjoy fresher produce. 

PROs to visit your local Farmer's Market: 

  1. Fresher, local produce - You have to love being able to eat food grown in the county where you reside. It has such a different flavor than produce from the grocery and more nutrients that haven't been lost in transport. 
  2. Shorter food chain - Most of the food in the grocery store is coming from all around the world. It is picked while it is still unripe, ripens in a store house and then is transported to a store. When you purchase produce from a local market, you are getting cutting out the middle man and getting that produce directly from the farmer, which equates to better quality produce. This also allows you to interact with the farmer and know exactly where your food is coming from (for produce, meat and eggs).
  3. Supporting local economy - When you purchase food from farmers in your community you are helping to support your local economy. That money is going directly to that farmer in your community and staying in your community. That also helps support that smaller farmers who otherwise wouldn't be able to compete with the big, government subsided farms. 

If you are wondering when the Farmer's Market is open in your community check out some of these local Farmer's Market locations (thanks to the Indianapolis Star for this great list of local Farmer's Market locations, times and contact numbers. For additional locations check out there Guide to Farmer's Market newspaper article): 

• Carmel: 8 to 11:30 a.m. Saturdays, through Sept. 27, 5 Center Green, just south of City Center Drive, adjacent to the Monon Trail. Info: (317) 571-2474.

• Fishers: 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays through Sept. 27, 11601 Municipal Drive in the Amphitheater green space. Info: (317) 578-0700

• Noblesville: 8 a.m. to noon, Saturdays, May 17 through Oct. 11, Riverview Hospital overflow lot, 395 Westfield Road. 5 to 8 p.m. Thursdays June 5 to Sept. 18, 839 Conner St., Noblesville Main Street. Info: (317) 776-0205.

• The Original Farmers Market: Downtown Indy: 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Wednesdays through Oct. 29. Market Street between Alabama and Delaware streets, Downtown Indianapolis. Info: (317) 634-9266.

• Westfield: 5 to 8 p.m. Fridays beginning June 6 through Aug. 29, Ameriana Bank, 3333 E. Ind. 32. Info: (317) 867-7740.

• Zionsville: 8 to 11 a.m. Saturdays, May 17 to Sept. 27, corner of Hawthorne and Main streets, Zionsville. Info: (317) 873-3836.