{"id":11881,"date":"2019-04-25t04:26:48","date_gmt":"2019-04-25t04:26:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dpetrov.2create.studio\/planet\/wordpress\/farmers-markets-the-garden-of-eating\/"},"modified":"2023-02-28t18:37:00","modified_gmt":"2023-02-28t18:37:00","slug":"the-garden-of-eating","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/\/www.getitdoneaz.com\/story\/the-garden-of-eating\/","title":{"rendered":"farmers markets: the garden of eating"},"content":{"rendered":"
a wednesday walk down eye street in washington, d.c., is no longer just a monotonous commute to class.<\/p>\n
it\u2019s an eye-opening experience in edibles. i\u2019m talking about farmers markets.<\/p>\n
the freshfarm<\/a> foggy bottom market offers more than 10 vendors who sell different types of locally grown produce, sweet and savory baked goods and homemade condiments.<\/p>\n i love farmers markets because i like supporting local businesses and eating seasonally.<\/p>\n in contrast to grocery stores, farmers markets are fluid spaces. they provide seasonal bounty and create community among food producers and consumers.<\/p>\n vendors often allow shoppers to try free samples and some even give you the details on how the food was grown or produced.<\/p>\n that\u2019s how the fruit vendor got me.<\/p>\n i stopped to try a honeycrisp apple from the quaker valley orchards<\/a> kiosk. the seller explained that the produce is harvested the day of the market, keeping it fresh.<\/p>\n not only did the apples at the farmers market taste fresher than the ones at whole foods, but they were also better priced.<\/p>\n at quaker valley, all apples sold for under $3 a pound. on the same street, whole foods sold honeycrisps for $3.99.<\/p>\n i sampled cider as the vendor continued to talk to me about the benefits of buying locally grown food. her amiability, charm and price convinced me to buy a dozen apples.<\/p>\n with over 200 farmers markets<\/a> in the dmv area and over 8,700 farmers markets<\/a> across the country, there\u2019s no shortage of places to shop and no reason not to frequent the alternative marketing venues. <\/p>\n in short: shopping at farmers markets allows you to eat cheaper, eat better and eat healthier.<\/p>\n farmers markets also promote sustainability<\/a> and curb greenhouse gas emissions, thus combating climate change.<\/p>\n according to the worldwatch institute<\/a>, the average plate of food on an american table travels 1500 miles before being eaten. these food miles add up \u2014 taking a toll on the environment and the actual products. food items that travel long distances often require refrigeration to preserve their shelf life, making the food less nutrient dense<\/a>.<\/p>\n now, when i walk down eye street on wednesdays, i come prepared with a reusable, canvas bag. and every week, i fill it up with seasonal foods that are fresh, flavorful and full of nutrients.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" washington’s eye street becomes eye candy for farmers market lovers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9431,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4896,5196],"tags":[],"storyfest_categories":[],"class_list":["post-11881","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-food","category-past-storyfest"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n