Buying Fresh at Farm Stands and Farmers Markets is a
Win-Win-Win.

Consumer, Community and Farmer all benefit.

Supporting the Garden State Farms makes perfect economic and ecological sense. Benefits are as plentiful as the various crops grown throughout the state.

You the consumer benefit because, when in season, you have product on your table that is as fresh and nutritious as possible. The local farmer can pick the produce at its peak ripeness, which also means its peak health benefit. When food must be transported it is typically picked more firm (which usually means less than ripe) to minimize damage in shipping.

Depending on what is in season, the consumer can also get produce at a cost savings at the farmers’ market or farm stand. For even more cost savings, buy in bulk and try freezing or canning. Start simple with freezing corn. (To make freezing corn easier, try a Corn Cob Stripper tool like this one here or here.)  

Tomatoes are easy to can and because they are high in acid, there is less concern about food safety. When canning items like beats, which are low in acid, you want to consider “pickling” them so the acid of the vinegar prevents bacteria from growing. For more information on canning click here.

Th local farmer benefits because they have other outlets for their produce. Farming is a bit different than manufacturing, where the product is created based on the demand. When a farmer’s fruits or vegetables have arrived they must find the market for them. Their farm stands and opening the fields for Pick Your Own all help support agriculture in the Garden State.

Many farmers participate in “Farmers Against Hunger”. Check out the impressive volume of produce that farmers donate to this program who then distributes it to those in need. Thanks to all that participate in this program

Farmers also may take their produce to Farmers Markets in urban areas. This gives access to fresh fruits and vegetables to those communities. Ultimately agriculture and agritourism benefit communities directly by delivering to them healthy products, usually more cost effectively. In addition they contribute to the economy of their local communities as business owners. Consider joining a co-op farm community like the one at Destination… Country at Sunset View Farms in Andover, which is located in Sussex County.

 

Fact:

Gardening and home canning can lower your grocery bill.  Burpee Seed Company (www.burpee.com) estimates that for every $50 spent on seeds and fertilizer, a gardener can yield $1250 worth of produce. As it’s not feasible for a family to enjoy all of that fresh produce all at one time, home canning allows you to preserve that fresh, home grown flavor from your garden for use all year long, and saving on your grocery bill.

From http://www.freshpreserving.com