9 Tips for Smart Farmers' Market Shopping

9 Tips for Smart Farmers' Market ShoppingBy Lexi Dwyer

Expert advice for navigating the stalls and picking the best ingredients of the bunch.

1. Advice from the Pros
It's good for the environment, the community and your palate: When you shop at a farmers' market, everybody wins. But the very things that make a greenmarket enticing -- the parade of locals, the busy atmosphere and, of course, the seemingly endless array of gorgeous things to eat -- can also overwhelm you as a shopper. Before you grab your reusable grocery sack, check out our tips and tricks from chef and cooking instructor Richard Ruben, author of The Farmer's Market Cookbook, and Ann Yonkers, co-director of FreshFarm Markets in Washington, D.C. They told us how the home cook can make the most out of every trip while having a little fun along the way.

2. Know the Rules
Because every market has its own guidelines that govern what's allowed to be sold, the term "farmers' market" means different things in different places. Some permit vendors to peddle only goods that they've produced or grown themselves, while others have a more expansive criteria that might include any produce items, even ones they've purchased commercially. (That's why in some areas, you might spot obvious imports like bananas or coffee displayed in the stalls.)

"Plenty of markets are augmented with things that aren't necessarily local," says Ruben. "If you aren't sure, it never hurts to have a conversation with the person behind the counter." To find out more about the criteria for markets in your area, Ruben suggests browsing the United States Department of Agriculture's farmers' market database, which offers basic information about each market and a link to its website.

3. Understand Organic
Don't be fooled into thinking that vendors who use the word "organic" are the only ones following these principles. Ruben explains that because the certification to display this label is expensive, many smaller farms may be growing produce without pesticides or raising livestock without antibiotics, but simply can't afford to complete the paperwork process. "This is where it definitely makes sense to ask about their growing philosophy," says Ruben.

Click here for 6 more tips for smart farmer's market shopping

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