A great resource for locally-grown, naturally-raised food is your local farmers' market. Many cities and towns have begun promoting this old idea. The farmers' market in my town only meets during the summer months, and so far, is rather small. I hope to see it grow. Only 30 minutes from our town, though, is Athens, Ohio, which hosts a farmers' market year-round. Audobon Magazine said that The Athens Farmers' Market was "one of the nation's best markets." I finally got to visit it yesterday.
Since it is still winter, I didn't expect to find a lot at the market. I came ill-prepared, without a cooler or shopping bag. That was a mistake. There were producers of naturally-raised, grass-fed meats. Farmers who made their own organic cheeses. Organic eggs, breads and sweets. We did buy some salsa, which was out of this world! And I can't wait to try the maple syrup we found. There was even some produce - winter squashes, apples, greens. One vendor told us to be sure to come back in April, when things really take off.
The atmosphere of this market was great. Everyone seemed happy. There was quite a diversified crowd there - hippy throw-backs, farmers in overalls, well-heeled couples, and people from every corner of the planet. All of this great food brought everyone together. I loved that.
I will definitely be visiting this market next weekend, with a large cooler, a lot of shopping bags, and my family to help me carry our new-found treasures. I would encourage you to find a farmers' market in your area. You'll probably find yourself visiting it often!
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