With so many different ways to grocery shop these days, it can be hard to know where to begin. Do I visit the grocery store, receive a food delivery service, order off Amazon, sign up for a CSA or visit my local farm stands? While all of these avenues have benefits and drawbacks, as someone who has been shopping with my momma at farmers stands since I could barely walk and now run and operate my own organic farm and farm stand… and as my friends can all attest, I have so many reasons for why you should shop at a farmers’ market, but here are just a few to whet your appetite:

The produce options are out of this world! Think about the fact that when you go to the grocery store you buy food from a shelf that usually says something like “tomatoes” and you have a couple of different options and all the tomatoes look perfectly round and blemish free (and turn to mush in one day). But have you ever seen a tomato grow in a garden? Very rarely does a tomato found at the store look like one pulled from a vine. And that is because grocery store tomatoes varietals are often selected to be good for transport and long shelf life, not flavor. When you shop at our farm stand we as farmers are more focused on delicious flavor, unique options, optimal nutrition and what types grow well in Western Colorado. Our Tomatoes will also be able to last a few days longer in your produce basket on your counter then any purchased from the large market chains. The next time you are wondering exactly how different veggies are from the farm versus the store, do a taste test. Buy a bunch of carrots from the store and one from our farm and see for yourself. You will never want to buy a carrot not farm grown again!

You are investing your money in the local economy! Studies have shown that for every dollar spent with your local farmers, twice as much economic activity is generated within the region. So that means more jobs for farmers and less money in the pockets of agribusiness and GMO food conglomerates. Doesn’t it just feel better to know your buying habits are helping send your farmer friend’s kid to continued education instead of putting more money in the pocket of a CEO?
The produce is fresh, fresh, fresh! Almost everything you buy at our farm stand market was picked that day or the day before in order to retain the perfect ripeness and flavor. Farmers’ can’t afford to store their harvest for long on the farm, so you are ensured that whatever you buy at our market is going to be peak freshness to enjoy at home. On average, the produce you buy at the grocery store is stored for at least a week, sometimes up to a year, and can come from anywhere in the world. Who wants a nine month old carrot on their dinner plate? I surely don’t!

Sustainability is key! That means for us being certified organic. We feel our Organic Certification provides transparency to our consumer and protects your health. We want to use only the best growing practice and we allow a third part audit of our farm to show our dedication to our food safety and farm safety for our consumers and for the safety of us your farmer. We allow anyone to check our input records and certificate papers at anytime. If a farm promotes themselves as using “sustainable practices”, ask what makes them “sustainable” as “sustainable” has no clear definition. If your farmer is dedicated to organic practices they should be certified organic. To us its kinds like being kinda pregnant. You either are pregnant or you are not. The grey area of Organic Practice is not what Organic farmers have been standing for for the last 5 decades and trying to differentiate our farm stewardship from other less intentional growers. We collect detailed information about what we put into our soil and make sure that chemical pesticides and herbicides are not a part of our practices. Have a question about a farmer’s growing practices? You can ask them in person instead of trying to figure out a label full of fancy marketing speak. And let me tell you, most farmers love talking about their practices! Farmers are proud of the work they do and want to share it with you. We as farmers know that taking good care of the land and our ecosystem is taking care of our business, our customers and our planet, all at the same time. Our Certification and dedication to our Organic farming practice is such an honor for us and we are very proud of our hard work to grow organically.

Seasonality is special! While it can be very convenient to be able to buy Nectarines year round, the truth is that Nectarines bought in December have either been stored for months or shipped from far, far away. Both of those things mean your fruit choice is going to have very little flavor and a very big impact on the environment. If you shop with the seasons, you are guaranteed to not only have flavorful, nutritious produce, but excitement every time you visit your farmers. Trust me, when your favorite items are back into season, it will feel like your birthday every month of the year. At Field To Fork we work hard and feel lucky that we have two growing seasons, so we can keep our farmers stand full of seasonal produce year-round. We also enjoy working with other local growers and organic growers who we trust to help us fill our farm store through the seasons. That means you will never find a tomato out of season at our Market, but you will find ripe, sweet organic fruits, crisp greens, herbs and the tastiest organic melons and sweet corn in the summer.
Shopping at the Farmer stand is fun! When you visit the farm you can simply shop for what you need and go home, or you can bring a friend, have a snack, chat with your farmer, food just doesn’t taste as good when it is delivered to your doorstep with the click of a button. Need a mid-week pick me up after staring at a computer for three days? Why not plan an after-work happy hour with your friends. Hump day just got a lot better now that you can hang out and take home some tasty produce to get you through the rest of the week.

But don’t just take my word for it, determine for yourself if these reasons to shop at the Field To Fork farm market ring true. Visit us at 3526 Front Street Palisade Co. Hope to see you at the market!

The Farm Dirt "Why Shop with Your Local Farm"