Believe it or not, there was once a time that the only way to get fresh produce was to either grow it yourself or visit a farmers market. Even if you grow produce at your homestead, you will likely not be able to grow the variety of crops that you may want to consume. That’s where the local farmers market is a wonderful place to visit.
Supermarkets were unheard of and in fact are a recently new innovation to help improve people’s lives. Yes, the farming industry dates back to prehistoric man but in the past most families grew their own produce in small gardens and hoped that it would be enough to get them through the long winter. If they were really lucky, then they would have a bumper harvest and could sell off the excess at market.
Food and agriculture has always been around but it was not until 1916 that the first self service supermarket was introduced. Clarence Saunders opened up his Piggly Wiggly chain in Memphis, Tennessee. It was not the “total” supermarket that you find today because fresh meat and produce were not sold, only canned and boxed goods. The expansion to selling meat and produce came from Michael J. Cullen in 1930. His King Kullen grocery stores were a hit and many other companies adopted the same ideas for selling everything that a family could need.
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Life would be more difficult had Saunders not created the grocery store. But it came with a price, as the farmers market became a rarity. More people wanted the conveniences of using a grocery store rather than having to get out early to pick their produce from the local farmers market. In 1994, a survey was performed and there were only about 1,755 farmers markets in the United States. Today, though, that number is more than 4,385 thanks to the organic movement pushing more people to buy locally grown produce that is pesticide free.
Small produce stands and farmers’ markets cannot compete against supermarkets. But that is not their purpose. The market for fresh, organically grown produce is about safety and trying to keep the environment safe while still enjoying locally grown vegetables and produce. Small farmers find that they can sell their produce for a fair, marketable price and keep their operation in business.
Everyone should take a trip to a farmers market. You have the wonderful opportunity to pick up fresh produce and even find canned items, such as jams and jellies. It is a wonderful experience. You can check out www.farmersmarket.com to get a listing of farmers markets located all around the country. Some are even completely organic!
