Local Farmers Markets

I am lucky enough to live in a nexus of food options. I went to college in the Midwest and remember staring at an orange transported from Florida thinking: "It should be orange, not yellow." Here in the proximity of the Monterey Bay, Salinas Valley and Santa Cruz mountains we have access to a plethora of fresh, locally grown food. It can be dangerous, however. If you get used to eating local, organic and fresh food, it can make you a down right produce snob.

These days we are all budget minded, and many people are reconsidering the higher cost of organic food. There are so many good reasons to shop at a farmers market; in doing so you support local farmers and small businesses, keep your money local, and reduce the impact of pesticides and fossil fuel consumption on the environment. For me, the selling point is the freshness. I am always overwhelmed and soothed by the aroma of the produce as I get near the vendors' tables. The bright variety of colors excite something deep in my brain, some evolutionary urge to gather that doesn't surface when I am in the aisle of a refrigerated supermarket aisle.

I believe strongly in the value of voting with your dollar and go out of my way to support local businesses. However, I feel a touch of guilt eating expensive food knowing that there are so many who don't get enough. There are many families right here in our local communities who don't have enough food, let alone fresh food. A local school official told me that it costs more to provide a child with a piece of fresh fruit than it does an entree in our local school cafeterias. I was encouraged, though, to learn that he had negotiated a contract to buy local Watsonville apples to replace ones shipped from Washington State at a cost savings. I also recently learned that families who use food stamps are able to shop at some of our local farmers markets using that resource. The Chronic Disease Specialists at the Monterey County Department of Health do a good job educating the community about that option through their Champions for Change program. I also consider the loss of money that inevitably comes from throwing away tasteless, conventional produce that has languished in my refrigerator drawer. Farmers market finds rarely last more than an day or two, so if I am careful not to over buy, the cost ends up about the same. In the end I consume more produce and enjoy the produce.

There are farmers markets held just about every day of the week in our different Central Coast communities. To find one near you, see: http://www.montereybayfarmers.org/. I prefer the Thursday market at Monterey Peninsula College which has plenty of parking and lack of carnival atmosphere. Families with small children and tourists from out of town tend to frequent the Downtown Monterey market on Tuesday afternoon, though for me its allure is the restaurant vendors. It's a good place to meet friends with eclectic tastes because everyone can find something he or she likes. From May through October, the Sunday morning market held at Del Monte Center is more convenient for me. No matter where you live or visit, you're sure to find one convenient and enjoyable.