Celebrate National Farmers Market Week with the Oconee Farmers Market

By Elizabeth Poland

This week signifies the National Farmers Market week, celebrating growing and buying local food and products. 

Visiting your local farmers market not only supports your local farmers and producers, but it also helps you rest assured that you are eating healthy, natural grown foods. 

Many are unaware of the way their food is grown and where it comes from.  To some, this information is totally unimportant. However, there are many benefits to growing produce naturally or organically without chemicals, and there are endless benefits to building your local economy in buying locally. 

Most produce sold in the grocery store is picked before it is ready, put on a truck and shipped hundreds of miles and called local. This produce will not be as flavorful since they are picked too early.  

Focusing on local-grown produce will ensure that what you're buying was picked at the appropriate time and grown free of added chemicals.  

The benefits of supporting your local farmers market are unlimited, but there are some precautions consumers need to take. Below we have provided some tips and guidelines to help ensure safe handling and consumption of foods you may purchase at the farmers market. 

• Bag fruits and vegetables separately from meat, poultry and seafood. 
• Avoid buying any bruised fruits or vegetables
• Refrigerate any produce that is pre-cut or peeled 
• Bring ice packs to the market to keep meats at an appropriate temperature while you shop and travel
• Always wash your fruits and vegetables before consuming
• Make sure your eggs are properly chilled and not cracked
• Keep hydrated on these hot, humid summer days (water is always provided at the Oconee Farmers Market!)