If you love fresh produce, you may have found yourself in the middle of a debate. Should you buy your fruits and vegetables at the supermarket, or at the farmers market?
We’d like to tell you a little bit about us at Whistler Farmers Market.
The Whistler Farmers Market
First, we are a non-profit organization, with our board of directors as the governing force. Marketwurks Management, Inc. manages and produces our farmers market events.
Our corporate culture is summed up in two words: “Social responsibility”, a phrase that we and our market family have adopted and live by.
In so many tangible ways we have demonstrated this social responsibility. Most outstandingly, because of our commitment to supporting local organizations, the Board of Directors approved donating a total of $10,000 yearly.
Benefits Of Buying Local
Recent years have seen an increase in farmers market events. Some are even held on a weekday, besides the traditional Saturday slot.
And now let’s look at a small list of benefits to shopping local.
More affordable. The foods you buy at the farmers market go straight from the farmer to your hands. You don’t have to worry about all the middleman hands that add cost to what you buy in the store.
Survival of the family farm. Family farms are a dying breed, and they need us to survive. Farm operating costs are high. When we buy local from a farmers market, we’re giving them support.
Freshness. Your store-bought tomatoes may have come from across the country, preserved inside a refrigerated truck. Farmers market produce may have been picked the same morning it was sold. How fresh is that?
Benefits Of Eating Local Produce
Let’s now take a look at the part of the picture with the most impact on you and your family: Some benefits of eating local produce.
Organic growing. Local family farmers don’t mess with GMO or steroids. The produce you buy from the family farm is sure to be as nature intended it to be.
Maximized ripeness. The produce you buy from a farmers market is usually picked at its ripest point, or close to it. For this reason, it will taste the best. The difference is noticeable.
Most nutritious. Because the produce is picked at ripeness, it will also be the most nutritious. And what’s the point of eating vegetables that lack natural nutrition?
Our Amazing Local Vendors
Of course, where would Whistler Farmers Market be without our vendors, who continue putting out high quality, fresh fruits and vegetables? Most of the time, we have around 90 vendors at our farmers market events.
Here is a link to the vendor map page on our website: https://www.whistlerfarmersmarket.org/maps/
Summary
If you’ve never bought produce at a farmers market, we have to say that the only way to judge it fairly is to try it. If you’re in the South West BC area, come on out and pay us a visit. We hope to see you soon.
