HEALTH

Eat Right

Home-Grown Goodness!

Woo hoo! For the next seven days we’re celebrating National Farmers Market week. Get pumped because this celebration of home-grown goods means a win for the environment, the economy and your diet. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is hoping Americans will take time to appreciate these local treasures, and we couldn’t be happier.
 
Environmentally, farmers markets encourage healthy agriculture. That means raising diverse crops so that the land remains nutrient rich for the future. One of the less friendly alternatives is factory farming. Spraying crops with pesticides, and chemically engineering bigger “better” crops, are just some of the environmentally unstable methods used on factory farms. Plus, local farms don’t fly their food around the world…they just go down the street, which saves gas.
 
Shopping at local markets keeps moolah (and the love) in your community. Supporting your neighbors who farm is all about good will, but it also means when they pay taxes, it helps improve the quality of life in your area.
 
Eating food that was grown locally is fresher, it tastes better, and has higher nutritional value than food that was picked ages ago. The fresher the apple, pear or peach, the more nutrients it retains to pass on to you. Plus, lotsa small farms grow cool heirloom crops (which come from seeds that have been preserved and passed along) so you can try out zebra tomatoes or purple carrots. Yum!
 
Google or ask around to find a market near you.

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by Helen Seachrist | 2/1/2016
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