Special to The Sun-Sentinel
TUTWILER — The West Tallahatchie Farmers Market, held at the Tutwiler Activities and Convention Complex at 201 Holly St., will conduct their next market event Friday, Sept. 17, from 3-6 p.m.
Organizers list the following five reasons to support farmers markets:
1. Taste real flavors
The fruits and vegetables you buy at the farmers market are the freshest and tastiest available. Fruits are allowed to ripen fully in the field and are brought to you with no long-distance shipping and no sitting for weeks in storage. This food is fresh from the farm.
2. Support family farmers
Family farmers need your support. Buying directly from farmers gives them a better return for their produce and gives them a fighting chance in today’s globalized economy.
3. Protect the environment
Food in the U.S. travels an average of 1,500 miles to get to your plate. All this shipping uses large amounts of natural resources (especially fossil fuels), contributes to pollution and creates trash with extra packaging. Conventional agriculture also uses many more resources than sustainable agriculture and pollutes water, land and air with toxic agricultural byproducts. Food at the farmers market is transported shorter distances and is generally grown using methods that minimize the impact on the earth.
4. Nourish yourself
Much food found in stores is highly processed and grown using pesticides, hormones, antibiotics and genetic modification. Some of it has been irradiated, waxed or gassed in transit. These practices may have negative effects on human health. In contrast, most food found at the farmers market is minimally processed, and many farmers go to great lengths to grow the most nutritious produce possible by using sustainable techniques, picking produce right before market and growing heirloom varieties.
5. Learn cooking tips, recipes and meal ideas
Few grocery store cashiers or produce stockers will give tips on how to cook the ingredients you buy, but farmers, ranchers and artisans at the farmers market are often passionate cooks with free advice.
