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Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
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Question about buying local
in Green Living
We're lucky enough that our major grocery stores carry a lot of local produce this time of year, but I'm wondering if there is a large difference between buying at a grocery or directly from the farm at a farmers' market. I would guess that buying it from the farm is more beneficial to them, but is it such a huge difference that it really makes it worth it to go out of my way to save my produce shopping for the farmers' market?
Emma - March '08 Quinn - August '11
Need help with high fat food ideas? Chunky Monkey
Need help with high fat food ideas? Chunky Monkey
Re: Question about buying local
I go to the farm market on the weekends for local produce because it is simply cheaper. Our market that carries local produce tends to have higher prices than the farm market generally. Not sure that this is the case in your area though.
The prices are pretty similar (actually I can usually get local peaches much cheaper at the grocery)... we're lucky that it's a "normal" grocery that carries it as opposed to just whole foods
Need help with high fat food ideas? Chunky Monkey
I think it is. Most grocery stores use larger vendors, and shopping at farmer's markets helps smaller farms, and it also helps support the movement towards local foods, and local markets.
I really can't make it to our farmer's markets very often, but I'm lucky to have two produce markets near me, one open year-round, that sell local products. If you only have a few farmer's markets and they are out of your way/schedule, I know it can be hard though. Without the produce markets near me it would be more of a struggle, but I used to shop once a week for produce at the farmer's market and just make it work. I think most of the produce at grocery stores, even local stuff, isnt as good, so that's extra incentive to me.
Farmer's markets are kind of a different experience than the grocery store. It's nice to be able to ask questions, and if you don't like the products or prices at one stand, you can move on to the next. I think farmer's markets are the way to go if you're buying in bulk, especially if you wait until towards the end of the day. I'd suggest trying it once and see what you think.
That said, I think it's fine to shop for local produce in the grocery store. You might pay slightly more for the convenience, and it probably costs the farmer a little more in overhead charges, but you're still supporting local food. I am happy to see grocery stores support local farmers like that, because it makes their products available to more people and can teach awareness.
I disagree with the PPs about buying local produce in the grocery store. On average, the farmer sees ten cents on every dollar that you spend at the grocery store. If the produce is the same price at the Farmer's Market, where they get to keep the full amount, that's 90% more money in the farmer's pocket, rather than going to marketers, food distribution centers, heating and cooling the delivery truck, decorating/stocking the store, and all the overhead from operating the grocery store. The farmer can then re-invest that money in better environmental practices, higher quality of living for their employees, or being able to sell their food in a new market. The grocery store is taking that money and increasing the dividends to their shareholders. That's not where I want my money to go.
I am also happy to see grocery stores support local farmers, but if you're willing to visit the Farmer's Market I think that's the way to go. You can ask the farmer directly how they grew their food, so you don't have to rely on the "all-natural" label or whatever at the grocery store which is meaningless. I buy local because it's high-quality, fresh produce and supports my local community. When you buy local from the grocery store, you're supporting the grocery store.
ETA: When I say "grocery store" I mean like the big chains who have a cutesy-looking booth in the middle of their sea of produce from other continents that is labeled "local." We don't have any food co-ops like what Alisha is talking about, so I can't speak to their buying practices or how what percentage the farmer sees when they sell their crops there.
Wow, I knew there was obviously a difference... I didn't realize that farmers made so little on grocery store food. We're very lucky that one of our chains (kroger) carries so much local food (right now for everything that's in season, they ONLY carry local, you don't get a choice), but you're right that I want to support the farms, not the grocery store.
Need help with high fat food ideas? Chunky Monkey
My Blog
Sounds like a CSA would work well for you. Voila, local produce that's either dropped off at your house or a drop-off point nearby. Farmers love CSAs because your share price in February (or whenever) pays for the seed, labor, and equipment maintenance they need to get things rolling in the spring. I know a lot of the farms at my Farmer's Market would struggle to survive without their CSAs.
Yeah, it's pretty appauling really. No wonder conventional produce growers grow the largest volume of produce they can, so they use every pesticide, herbicide, and fertilizer they can to increase their yields. Selling a huge volume of produce to grocery stores is the only way they make any money. I choose to opt out of that system and pay the farmer directly.