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Only the rich, he had said, get veggies that are "fresh and unborn, scarcely out of the earth."
Rich and poor alike (SNAP recipients account for $19 million in sales at farmers markets) can eat like the privileged thanks to farmers markets.
Grab a reusable tote bag and indulge in the bounty once only available to the wealthy by heading out the door to an area farmers market.
Need an excuse? It's National Farmers Market Week Aug. 7-13 , and local tillers of the soil need your support.
Aside from fresh-from-the-dirt produce, farmers markets have better prices and create needed jobs, according to the USDA and the Farmers Market Coalition.
Plus, few community gatherings stack up like a local farmers market when it comes to fostering small talk and casual socialization in a neutral setting. The coalition even has the stats to prove it.
Venture out to a local market in your home town, or explore the many throughout New Jersey, New York and Connecticut. Each has its own bounty (including homemade sweets and other treats).
- Fairfield County, Conn. has seven markets listed with CT Farm Fresh.
- Bergen County, NJ has 11 markets listed with Jersey Fresh
- Passaic County, NJ has six markets listed with Jersey Fresh
- Westchester County, NY has 28 markets listed on the New York State website.
- Rockland County has seven markets listed.
- Putnam County has four markets listed.
- Dutchess County has 10 markets listed.
For more information about National Farmers Market week, see the National Farmers Market Coalition. You'll also find listings on local farmers markets at the Down to Earth Market website, www.communitymarkets.biz/.
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