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Now on Saturdays in many of our communities, shoppers have the opportunity to shop for fresh, locally grown and produced foods at our local farmer's markets.
Shopping the local markets throughout the season can be educational as well as entertaining.
Prices for fresh produce and other products offered at local farmer's markets will generally be comparable to prices in other markets. During peak season or production, when supplies are plentiful, seasonal produce is typically lower in price. Produce will most often be of fresher quality eliminating the time the produce spend getting from harvest to your table.
"Shopping the local markets offers opportunities for customers to meet growers, learn more about a variety of foods and how they are grown," said Jana Beckman, coordinator of the Kansas Center for Sustainable Agriculture and Alternative Crops.
"Choosing local foods eliminates farm-to-market travel time during which food quality and flavor can suffer," Beckman said. While most of the foods sold at the markets is locally grown, some markets do allow regional foods to be marketed, she said.
When shopping farmer's markets visit with the vendors, asking how and where the produce was grown, how and when it was harvested, and you may want to visit about what procedures have been used as it was grown and harvested.
Many markets also offer flowers and bedding plants, locally made crafts, and baked goods and other food items.
Some food items may be unique to the culture to of the community. When traveling this summer it is often fun and educational to visit farmer's markets in the communities you visit. You and your family members may learn about foods that are grown in that part of the country and experience the heritage and culture of their community through the food items sold there.
Karen Blakeslee is an Extension Food Scientist with Kansas State University Research & Extension who offers the following tips to make the most of shopping local markets during the following months:
• Go early in the day for the best and freshest selections.
• Allow time to shop leisurely, to survey the market opportunities, and take your item in making your selections.
• Encourage children and other family members to shop and learn with you.
• Don't be shy. Ask about foods which are not familiar to you.
• Plan to choose one or two new foods or varieties each week to add flavor, color, and new tastes to your family meals.
• Take advantage of the opportunity to get to know the grower. Ask how to cook or prepare the food item or how to store and preserve the food item for future use.
• Buy quantities sized to your family. Buy large quantities only if you have the time, knowledge and proper equipment to can, fresh, or dry foods properly for future use.
• Carry a basket or re-usable bags to carry your purchases. You may want to take along a cooler in your vehicle to assure optimum freshness of your purchases as you travel home or complete other errands on the way home.
• Store foods promptly when arriving home to preserve freshness and always use perishable items first.
For information on preserving fresh garden produce during the coming months, call our Crawford County Extension at 620-724-8233 or visit the K-State Research & Extension Web site at: www.oznet.ksu.edu. The Extension publication series, "Let's Preserve" provides information to properly and safely can and freeze fresh fruits and vegetables.
These and other food related K-State Research & Extension publications will be available at a booth display sponsored by the Renaissance Family & Community Education unit at the June 13th Farmer's Market in Pittsburg.
Now on Saturdays in many of our communities, shoppers have the opportunity to shop for fresh, locally grown and produced foods at our local farmer's markets.
Shopping the local markets throughout the season can be educational as well as entertaining.
Prices for fresh produce and other products offered at local farmer's markets will generally be comparable to prices in other markets. During peak season or production, when supplies are plentiful, seasonal produce is typically lower in price. Produce will most often be of fresher quality eliminating the time the produce spend getting from harvest to your table.
"Shopping the local markets offers opportunities for customers to meet growers, learn more about a variety of foods and how they are grown," said Jana Beckman, coordinator of the Kansas Center for Sustainable Agriculture and Alternative Crops.
"Choosing local foods eliminates farm-to-market travel time during which food quality and flavor can suffer," Beckman said. While most of the foods sold at the markets is locally grown, some markets do allow regional foods to be marketed, she said.
When shopping farmer's markets visit with the vendors, asking how and where the produce was grown, how and when it was harvested, and you may want to visit about what procedures have been used as it was grown and harvested.
Many markets also offer flowers and bedding plants, locally made crafts, and baked goods and other food items.
Some food items may be unique to the culture to of the community. When traveling this summer it is often fun and educational to visit farmer's markets in the communities you visit. You and your family members may learn about foods that are grown in that part of the country and experience the heritage and culture of their community through the food items sold there.
Karen Blakeslee is an Extension Food Scientist with Kansas State University Research & Extension who offers the following tips to make the most of shopping local markets during the following months:
• Go early in the day for the best and freshest selections.
• Allow time to shop leisurely, to survey the market opportunities, and take your item in making your selections.
• Encourage children and other family members to shop and learn with you.
• Don't be shy. Ask about foods which are not familiar to you.
• Plan to choose one or two new foods or varieties each week to add flavor, color, and new tastes to your family meals.
• Take advantage of the opportunity to get to know the grower. Ask how to cook or prepare the food item or how to store and preserve the food item for future use.
• Buy quantities sized to your family. Buy large quantities only if you have the time, knowledge and proper equipment to can, fresh, or dry foods properly for future use.
• Carry a basket or re-usable bags to carry your purchases. You may want to take along a cooler in your vehicle to assure optimum freshness of your purchases as you travel home or complete other errands on the way home.
• Store foods promptly when arriving home to preserve freshness and always use perishable items first.
For information on preserving fresh garden produce during the coming months, call our Crawford County Extension at 620-724-8233 or visit the K-State Research & Extension Web site at: www.oznet.ksu.edu. The Extension publication series, "Let's Preserve" provides information to properly and safely can and freeze fresh fruits and vegetables.
These and other food related K-State Research & Extension publications will be available at a booth display sponsored by the Renaissance Family & Community Education unit at the June 13th Farmer's Market in Pittsburg.
