Life on an organic farm is...possible through people buying your products.

Today, a mini van and a Rav4 filled with frozen meat, fresh lettuce and more, headed down to Westford, Vermont, for the first farmers market of the season! We went out into the garden this morning to cut a mix of lettuce, which we when washed, spun to dry and bagged to sell, and then packed an assortment of frozen beef cuts into a cooler to sell. At the market, which welcomed about 10 or so vender's, we sold the meat and lettuce, along with eggs and sauerkraut, all from Maplewood, and bottles of sunflower oil, which their neighbors produce. Hannah, Ellyn, Eric, Maddie, Calvin and I all went to sell. Most of the time, farmers just stay by their stand, but at the end it's interesting, because some really get into bartering with you. We ended up trading some of our eggs and ground beef for some delicious bread from one eager barterer! I walked around for a little bit with Maddie and Calvin, who love to save their pennies to spend on treats at markets. They chose some muffins and brownies, each under a dollar, and but wandering Calvin would walk off with his treat without paying for it first! It's good thing I was in charge of his money!

Since the market was fairly small, and it was the first one of the season, the turn out unfortunately wasn't the best, but Maplewood defiantly got it's name out there.

If you don't live in an area where much CSA action goes on, or don't have the right type of yard for a garden, buying veggies, meat, jams, honey, maple syrup, bread and so much more from markets is a great way to support local and hard working farmers! The food is fresh, not always necessarily organic, but local, cutting back on the environmental impact of the food. Sometimes food at farmers markets may seem more expensive, like meat, but other times you're saving compared to grocery stores, like with vegetables. Either or though, your money's going straight to the person who prepared the food, and goes directly into building your local economy. Wallets are tight, but this really is a great way to spend your money, and think about it, would you rather buy bagged lettuce from your grocery store, when you don't know where it came from, how long it's been since it was harvested, unsure of what chemicals it soaked up while growing, over lettuce picked that morning from a farm less than 30 miles away???

Just to increase knowledge of the food industry, the movie Food Inc. hits theaters soon, here's a link to watch a preview! http://www.foodincmovie.com/