Why I like Buying Food at Farmer's Market

In a world where we are becoming increasingly distant from the production of the things we own, many food, products, and furniture comes from another country. The cultivation of crops or the factory workers who spend long days churning out products for our consumption are but a fleeting thought. Yet, at a farmer's market, as you hand cash to the farmer, your skin brushes against theirs, a smile is exchanged and the growing of your food is no longer a faraway process or a fleeting thought. You have come into contact with the grower of your food, the dry cracked hands of the farmer who picked it juxtaposed with your freshly lotioned and manicured fingers touching briefly. You are connected to your food, bonded by the universal necessity to eat. I have always loved going to farmer's market and I am just beginning to understand why.

Our little Howdy Farm booth this past Saturday

This week at the market we had carrots, red Russian kale, dinosaur kale, romaine and a few jalepeno peppers. We had lots of red Russian kale and romaine. I made a little board discussing the farm and the organic methods we use and put it out at our table. I think it was effective in letting people know that we are on-campus, student run, and organic. I did a bit more surveying this week, too. The biggest trend I have seen is that the majority of the customers have been coming for years, attend regularly, and found out about the market through a friend. There were a few first timers, and I was sure to ask them how they found out about our little market. Oh, how I would love to see it grow! I would also love to see more students come.

The little board I made

Sales were good. Toward the end we had a decent amount of the red Russian kale and romaine remaining. A man helping put on an on campus sustainability conference bought all our red Russian kale to serve at the conference, showing off a little with produce grown on campus. So we did end with quite a bit of romaine left. It is always interesting to me to see which items are the most popular. I look forward to offering a greater variety of produce in the coming months!

Some of the other booths