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Farmers markets offer seasonally fresh items grown locally. (Photo Contributed)
The LaGrange Farmers Market will come back to life this weekend on the courthouse square.
The farmers market tradition stretches back decades and many have memories of bustling Saturdays downtown, meeting friends, shopping at local stores and buying fresh produce straight from a neighbor’s garden.
“Farmers markets have fruits and vegetables at the peak of the growing season. This means produce is at its freshest and tastes the best,” said a Feb. 21, 2017 report provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Frequenting the farmers market is the epitome of shopping local. There are no taxes or fees. You know where the food came from and who is selling it to you. And, you help support the local economy.
In an Oct. 1, 2019 TED Talk, Mohammad Modarres spoke on why people should shop at local farmers markets.
“As a public health practitioner who has worked with small-scale farmers in Rwanda and now as a small food business owner who sits at the intersection between our consumers and producers, I’ve been exposed to one of the most ecologically and economically intensive industries in the world, and throughout my work, I’ve witnessed a chilling irony. Our farmers, who feed our communities, cannot afford the very foods they grow,” said Modarres. “Today, a handful of corporations continue to consolidate the entire food supply chain, from the intellectual property of seeds to produce and livestock all the way to the financial institutions who lend to these farmers. And the recent results have been rising bankruptcies for family farms and little control for those who are just trying to survive in the industry. Left unchecked, we will head into another economic collapse, one very similar to the farm crisis of the 1980s, when commodity market prices crashed, interest rates doubled, and many farmers lost everything.”
Amy Oberlin
Eerie resonance of this concern is occurring three years after Modarres’ talk. Grocery store shelves are often bare and food costs have risen dramatically. Prices of everything have risen, creating overhead costs that could cripple small-scale producers and potentially even strangle larger corporations.
When U.S. Sen. Mike Braun visited Gunthorp Farms in LaGrange County in late April, Greg Gunthorp and other members of the National Farmers Union encouraged Braun to support legislation that protects independent farmers. Pennsylvania farmer Michael Kovach suggested that small farms are the key to food security. When all of America relies on several huge corporate food producers, if one of them suddenly goes out of business, many might find themselves going hungry. Braun said legislators of both Republican and Democratic parties may be interested in listening to common sense solutions for assuring American food security.
Changing weather patterns can affect the national and world farm market. Violent storms, wildfires and floods have become all too common in the national news, and these events could wipe out miles of crops. NOAA weather forecasters reported recently that as many as 10 hurricanes are possible from June 1 to Nov. 30. An average season typically spawns seven hurricanes and peaks in August and September. If predictions hold true, it will be a record seventh consecutive year of above-normal hurricane activity.
Economic threats and life-threatening weather could be devastating to a national food system. But when local growers thrive, they can assure local needs are met.
USDA’s Farm to School Program has put seven new Farm to School coordinators on the ground in regional offices to help build direct relationships between small and mid-sized producers and school districts. One priority area for Farm to School is creating more opportunities for small and mid-sized livestock and poultry producers.
With its school farm, Prairie Heights Community Schools has raised cattle that were used for hamburger for school lunches. During a tour of the PH farm in 2018, Becky Landes, food service director for Manchester Community Schools, explained how she bids for local beef and produce to augment lunches for the approximately 1,600 students in her district.
A Lakeland Community Schools group has planted Brussels sprouts, green beans, lettuce, peppers and other fresh delights in the community garden at Spreurer Park. This fall, there are plans to start a cooking club in cooperation with Parkview Hospital to teach students how to prepare the garden fare, said Jennifer Martin, executive director of LaGrange Communities Youth Centers. Childhood obesity is ranked second in youth concerns in LaGrange County.
Eating fresh fruit and vegetables with natural fiber is a key to a good diet. Using more fruits and vegetables, along with whole grains, lean meats, nuts and beans, is a safe and healthy way to lose or maintain weight, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In addition, diets rich in fruits and vegetables may reduce the risk of some types of cancer and other chronic diseases. Fruits and vegetables also provide essential vitamins and minerals, fiber and other substances that are important for good health.
The farmers market boasts a lot of wins: fresh wholesome food, friends, good prices. What have you got to lose?
One World is a weekly column delving into the responsible use of our natural resources. Comments and suggestions are welcomed at editor@hurdmedia.com.
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