A few years back I began to flutter to the farmer’s market, one of the best moves I ever made. Some of my most profound ideas on living a natural lifestyle stemmed from strolling through the booths of fresh farm pickings. Many thanks to the farmer’s market for igniting the creation of Your Majesty lip balm and introducing me to some of the best products in my region.

I enjoyed the farmer’s market so much that I wanted to share it with my children. Turns out that my children love it just as much as I do!

Here’s how the farmer’s market helped us as a family to learn about food and making better choices.

Fresh + Local

Fresh and local cheeses, oils, nuts, fruits and vegetables, as well as an eccentric compilation of creative handcrafted offerings, all combine to offer an enriching experience. Let’s face it, community is vital to a happy life and the community reaches as far out to the meadows of your rural region.  Your region is bountiful, learn what the land around you offers in agricultural and support sustainable practices. Sustainable and organic farming is better for the planet and optimum for human health. Plus, when you buy from a local farmer, you’re helping your neighbor sustain a happier life. You’ll most likely never meet the CEO of products found in the grocery store. However, having the opportunity to meet the owner/grower radiates a sense of satisfaction and honor and that opportunity awaits you at the FM. Take advantage of that.

Most farmer’s market associations have requirements for selling sustainable to organic fruits and veggies, so you can add that to the list of eating healthier by minimizing the intake of pesticides and other harmful chemicals.

Seasonal Sensation

If you visit the market often, you’ll notice the fruits and veggies change with season. This is how nature intends it to be. Today, consumers are spoiled to find fruits and veggies out of season due to other growing standards. But the farmer’s market only sells what’s in season and it’s exciting to anticipate the fruits of nature when the soil intends to sprout them.

Meet the Farmer

The best part of looking at your delectables is — you can ask all the questions you want. The person behind the booth should be well educated on the product and is willing to answer all your questions, including the practice of sustainable and ethical farming.

When children are able to meet the farmer in person they feel more connected and this significantly empowers them to eat and appreciate the fruit and vegetables.

Sprout + Grow

The farmer’s tending the booth offer a wealth of information and they love to share it. You can learn how to grow your own fruits and vegetables. One time, I approached a woman who was selling fig tree cuttings, she stated, “all you have to do is plant the cutting and a fig tree will grow!”

As a family, you can learn and grow in many gardening adventures and the farmer’s market will help you every step of the way.

Homegrown Strawberries

Final Thought

There’s so much involved now a days with industrialization, Monsanto, genetically modified organisms, mass production and because of all the noise, this requires extensive research in order to be truly educated on what is the most beneficial. All we can do is our best, but you can hardly go wrong when you turn to the most natural of soil, roots, stems, blooms and harvest.

I can testify that taking my children to the farmer’s market has truly made a difference in the way we eat as a family. The reality is, we don’t always eat healthy but at least we have a good grasp on what healthy is. Because of this, we have been enlightened for a lifetime.