Visiting the Farmers' Market - A (nearly) Wordless Wednesday

A Market day starts before sunrise...

There are all sorts of products just waiting for you...

...food, food and more food!

 Friendly vendors to meet your needs and answer your questions.

Music and ambience make for a wonderful Saturday morning.

Want more? Here's a video montage of the Market...

...and another...

On behalf of Market vendors everywhere, I'd like to say...

THANK YOU!

We couldn't do it without our loyal customers.

          **thanks to T. Leighton Womack Photography for the great images and videos!**

                                   All photos from the Staunton/Augusta Farmers Market.

Does Producer-Only Matter?

Do you shop at a Farmers’ Market?

Do you know if it’s producer-only?   What does that mean?  Does it matter? 

As farmers’ markets continue to enjoy a great run of popularity, they continue to spring up around the nation.  At last tally, the USDA reported there were over 8,100 in the National Farmers’ Market directory! (http://search.ams.usda.gov/farmersmarkets/ ) Just 20 years ago, it was nearly unheard of to find a farmers’ market in a small town, now they seem to be everywhere.

Just because you are shopping at a “farmers’ market” doesn’t necessarily mean you are buying directly from the farmer. The rules vary widely from market to market.   That is where producer-only comes in.  At a producer-only market, the vendor must also be involved in the production of the items offered for sale…no re-sellers, no middlemen, just farmers selling farm goods directly to the end user.  This may seem like a minute distinction, but it is in fact a game-changer.

the yellow sign explains producer only

As we (as a society) have become more and more urban, we have lost our direct connection with the land, the farm and those who toil in anonymity so that we can put food on our tables. We want food to be cheap and available according to our whims while also being safe and nutritious. (don’t want much, do we?)  While folks want to refer to themselves as “foodies” and make all sorts of dietary demands, they have no idea what goes into food production. The connection between farm and fork is tenuous at best. Some say that it has already been lost.

Let’s face it.  In America, we are spoiled by food in great abundance, at relatively low prices, and food safety standards far above those in the rest of the world.  While I am not suggesting that you only shop for local food (that’s a whole ‘nuther discussion) it is my opinion that much more thought needs to go into food shopping.

To my mind, the producer-only farmers’ market is the best way to begin to rectify that dis-connect. By knowing a farmer personally, it is possible to begin to understand just what goes into the food on your table. When produce is available only seasonally, it challenges that false sense of constant abundance that ultimately devalues agricultural products. The abundant food we enjoy doesn’t just magically appear on the shelves.  It takes a great amount of human effort to feed the masses.

By putting a face on a farmer we begin to make agriculture a little more real. By knowing just one person involved in this industry essential to our survival, it gives us a reason to pay attention to and begin to understand the issues farmers everywhere face on a daily basis.  Prices, weather, technology, market trends, the global economy and politics are all vitally important issues to farmers, but for far different reasons than to those in town. 

As a consumer shopping a producer-only market, you are given the opportunity to ask questions of the actual producer rather than trusting in a label.  While the USDA Organic label is regulated and fines are possible for mis-use, false claims are frequently made and there is no real way to stop all false claims. Don't believe me? Read this.   The word is not supposed to be used at all if the seller is making over $5,000 annually. But, it happens (a lot).  If you’re buying from a middleman, he/she has no real vested interest in the sale.  They just want to clear out the stuff they brought and turn their profit.  Nor do they know (or possibly care) if the actual producer is following the rules and/or being a good steward, or even if that label was applied appropriately.
(A quick aside here...USDA Organic does NOT mean pesticide and chemical free, nor is it intended to.)

When you buy directly from the producer, you are assured that it is only through their own effort…
their blood, sweat and tears…
that there is anything on that table at the market.  They have a vested interest in absolutely everything they sell and not only have they made an effort to grow it, they have also learned the arts of market display and direct marketing communication.  (no easy task, I assure you) A conscientious market vendor will have a working knowledge of all sorts of agriculture and be able to answer a lot of your questions objectively or at least point you to a source for more information. It is their responsibility (and theirs alone) to make sure that your shopping experience is a positive one and that you return to their market venue again and again. Their livelihood depends upon it!

A producer-only market is the first step in correcting the divide between urbanity and rural/farm life across the nation.  It is only by knowing a producer and listening to the stories of the work behind the scenes of getting food to your tables that consumers can truly appreciate the food on that table. These conversations grant a richer, fuller food shopping experience. The bonds of human relationships that are vital to all aspects of our survival as a society are forged and strengthened by the seemingly simple act of buying food.

Shopping at a producer-only market allows the consumer to reconnect with the cycles and seasons of the natural world, learn to value the efforts of their fellow humans as they toil to bring food products to the tables of the community and has the potential to change your worldview.

 ...and every sale goes a long way to ensure that the farmers are able to continue to farm and be a vibrant part of the community.

…so…yes, it really DOES matter.

It's Farmers' Market Week!

Tom Vilsack, USDA Secretary of Agriculture, has declared August 3 – 9 2014 National Farmers Market Week.  This has been a tradition for the past 15 years, in hopes of bringing attention to Farmers’ Markets across the nation.  Apparently it’s working, as the number of markets increases each year.  Currently, there are over 8,100 in the USDA directory. The constant increase indicates a commitment to vibrant local food systems throughout America.

“Secretary Vilsack has identified strengthening local food systems as one of the four pillars of USDA's commitment to rural economic development, along with production agriculture (including expanding export markets and improving research), promoting conservation and outdoor recreation opportunities, and growing the bio-based economy.” (USDA News Release No. 0153.14)

-image American Farmland Trust
www.farmland.org

Since it is Farmers’ Market week, let’s look at some of the positives that markets offer the vendors, the customers and the community.

Farmers’ Markets can be a great way for small operations to get their feet wet, offering a “business incubator” where new producers can experiment, learn and grow their enterprises. Our market even hires local musical talent as weekly entertainment.  This exposure has acted as a springboard for some acts to gain a much greater audience.

Farmers’ Markets offer a place where producers can retain more of each dollar, allowing more farmers to continue to be profitable. This keeps our precious farmland from becoming developed.

Farmers’ Markets provide consumers with high quality, fresh, local produce and other farm products in an atmosphere conducive to dealing directly with the farmers. It's also a great place for socializing.

By keeping farm products and shopping local, the community realizes more tax revenue and many downtowns have become revitalized as a direct result of the local Farmers’ Market.

...and Farmers' Markets are not just for the "well-to-do" many markets participate in the SNAP program as well as WIC and the Senior Nutrition Program making fresh farm products available to those who may have once found the Market inaccessible. That isn't all, either.  Excess produce is often donated to food pantries, lunch programs and the local mission.

The USDA agrees with me.  Look at this cool infographic.

-image USDA

To my mind, a Farmers’ Market is a win-Win-WIN-WIN-WIN solution.  

See you there!

**I'll be posting something about Farmers' Markets every day this week.  I hope you'll check back regularly.  ...and if you have any questions specific to Farmers' Markets, please let me know.  I'll be glad to answer them or find someone who can.**

Sunday Walkabout 8-3

Can you believe it’s August?  

It doesn’t seem possible that so much of the summer has just slipped by already.  It also doesn’t even remotely feel like August…it was only 48* here two mornings during the past week.  Generally, we are facing record-setting heat.  This year, the low temperatures are flirting with, if not breaking, record lows.  It’s not just here, either.  The three big airports in the DC area all broke records for low overnight temperatures for the month of July. Weird weather continues to make news across the country.

The cool weather means that the gardens have hit that late summer slump about a month early.  Those green tomatoes from last week are still green…and zucchini production is nearly non-existent. (that does seem truly unbelievable).  But, amazingly, the peppers and okra are starting to produce.  The succession plantings of beans, cucumbers and squash are nearly ready, but everything seems to be in slow motion. If it would warm up some, and we’d get some rain…the gardens (and the pastures) would be unstoppable.

Here's hopin'...

Look!
Tiny Brussels Sprouts

Okra loves the heat
I have no idea how it is getting ripe this year!

yellow wax beans

This has been one of those weeks that really can’t be captured in photos.  We went and picked up the latest cuts of lamb.  But, a SUV load of coolers full of meat doesn’t make for nice shots…and although I’m pretty sure we were the only folks tooling down the interstate with a load of frozen lamb meat in the vehicle…nobody would have ever known.  But, it is nice to have more lamb available, because sales have been pretty steady this season.  We came home to an enormous box of recipe booklets from the American Lamb Board.  The board publishes some beautiful materials to encourage the eating of lamb and we’re happy to utilize this great resource.

I am doing my best to increase American lamb consumption

We spent some time putting up beans and tomatoes for winter.  But, again…not a real “picture worthy” activity.  Sometimes, I feel just slightly selfish when we spend time (and use a lot of farm products) for our own use.  Then, I remember, that is why we started doing the whole homestead thing in the first place! We wanted to eat well.  Selling to others was just one of the positive outcomes to growing more and more.

The Boss is in charge of the canning process
Open flame, pressure cooker and propane...
he can HAVE that job!

The rest of the week really didn’t yield many pictures, either. We hauled sheep, went to the dump and kept up with the general maintenance jobs around here.  The Boss did some mowing, but it really doesn’t look much different.  I cut the furballs from behind Gus’ ear, but you certainly can’t tell.  And, we picked and packed and went to Market, but all the veggies are gone…

We did change out the gate behind the barn. Correction, the Boss changed it…I just assisted.  The ewes did all they could to “help” as well.  There “help” consisted of standing around complaining and sticking their noses where they didn’t belong…and then completely freaking out for no reason and galloping away.  (the new gate is really scary looking---if, that is, you’re a sheep)

new gate being put to the test

no hope for this gate

"Ya gonna open this thing, or what?"

The old one was completely shot…4,000+ pounds of anxious, hungry sheep pushing against it finally broke the welds.  The ewes are completely convinced that they are quite literally starving to death between feedings and jostle each other around, slam against the gate and occasionally jump up in the air and fly over it to get to the small amount of grain they eat each day. We really have had "flying" sheep...read this. It always makes me think of the running of the bulls…just a slightly smaller, calmer, woollier version. It was important to get that job done before Waylon joins the flock for his yearly job.  (I don’t want to spoil the surprise…but, it IS the first of August---)

clean, empty greenhouse
look quick, this doesn't happen often!

When I went to start some more seeds for fall planting, it was evident that something of the rodent persuasion had made its home in the greenhouse.  There were huge holes in the ground and lots of chewed up plastic. (no, Gus can’t get in there…so I couldn’t blame him)  I could have sworn I saw some kind of critter out of the corner of my eye as I walked by the other day, but I thought I was imagining things.  Oh, bother!  There was no point in starting seeds if there might be mice (or worse) in the house, so I spent some quality time cleaning and organizing.  It looks real nice now and the Boss set some mousetraps as the first line of attack. Here’s what happens when mice get in the greenhouse. Read this.  I haven’t caught anything so far, but look at the seedlings!

Squeekie did her part to provide a little excitement to an otherwise uneventful week.  As I walked out the back door, I thought I’d stepped into the set of one of those crime shows.  She looked dead.  She was unresponsive.  Just about the time I was thinking we needed to make a little chalk outline and investigate…she woke up.  Once she was awake, she decided that I owed her some cat cookies for the disruption.

Squeekie?

SQUEEKIE?

Oh...no...SQUEEKIE!?

WHAT?
Seriously, can't a girl take a nap around here?

So...I'm awake.
WHERE ARE THE COOKIES?

Friday, we woke to rain…glorious rain.  You could hear the entire farm breathe a sigh of relief.  However, it was very short-lived and we had bright sunshine by afternoon. I was more than a little bummed by the change of weather, but, we’ll take what we can get. Even if it is just a tenth of an inch of rain.

The Market was amazing (again).  This week we had the Executive Chef from Mary Baldwin College (located right in Staunton) doing a cooking demonstration.  Cooking demonstrations seem to be a great fit for the Market, but I am always surprised how few folks seem to stop and watch and learn.  It must be disappointing to the chef. He did use some of our veggies and the dish he made looked quite tasty.

Speaking of the Farmers’ Market…August 3-9 is Farmers’ Market week.  I hope to write something about the Market each day for this entire time. (hope is the keyword here)  The Farmers’ Market is very near and dear to my heart and it’s a great experience for those on both sides of the table.  If you have any questions you’d like to see answered…now’s your chance.  Let me know if you would like to hear about a specific topic.

I apologize if today’s entry seems hurried and disjointed.  The Boss and I set off on an early morning “adventure” that included the possibility of eating out for breakfast (a very rare occurrence) and was sure to involve a "little Drama".  (Toughchick just read that sentence and did the “oh mama!" eyeroll). 

It was weird to milk something SO small

Since the kids are all off to a housewarming party at a friend's new dairy (have fun with Katie & David, y'all!), I volunteered (or was drafted) to milk the tiny goats in the Draft. Everyone behaved, I was fairly successful and the Boss did get some breakfast. ...and now we're back on the hill, ready to do our regular Sunday stuff...

Meet "Drama Queen" - otherwise known as "DQ"
she's actually a nice little milker
(and I did NOT make up her name)

Thanks for stopping by to visit!

Have a Happy Sunday!

Hope you’ll come back again real soon!