Aloha from Colorado, my friends! As some of you might know, I’m lucky to be based in Kailua-Kona, HI but I lived in Boulder, Colorado for a few years and have a special place for this town in my heart. Here’s where I took the time and dedication to conclude my Functional Nutrition Certification and where I found most of my inspiration to start My Functional Foods. Growing up in Brazil where every neighborhood has their own farmers market definitely made an impact as well.
Whole foods appreciation
I love going to Farmers Markets in different areas and watching how what’s “served” changes as the seasons go by. Right now in Colorado it’s peach season and if you have ever had a Palisade peach, you get it. Whatever is in season has more flavor, nutrients, vitamins. I love seeing the abundance of whole foods and the appreciation for them around here. One of my goals in promoting Farmers Markets is to shift even slightly the mindset a lot of us have about food. WHOLE FOODS are beautiful and deserve our appreciation. If you think about it, they are nature’s pieces of art that human beings depend on to keep living on this planet. Every time I take a bite of a beautiful and fresh produce I truly feel grateful. I can’t say the same about ultra-processed foods.
Make positive impact
National Farmers Market Week was celebrated last month. It marks the vital role farmers’ markets play in our nation’s food system and consequently, the positive impact on our health. While there are many reasons to support your local farmers, here are a few of my favorite ones:
1 – Farmers Markets are the heart of our communities. Meet the locals who are growing produce in your area, find amazing artisans, and get to know your neighbors! We are social beings who benefit from healthy social connections.
2 – You get fresh fruits and veggies at the peak of the growing season. This means more nutrients on your plate. On top of that, the produce from your local farmer is weeks fresher than the store, which is healthier for you and the planet!
3 – You’re minimizing your carbon footprint. Produce from the grocery is resource-intensive! It’s shipped across the nation (or world) before reaching your kitchen, using energy and emissions along the way (not to mention all of that packaging and food wasted in transit). Buying locally avoids all the waste that happens along the way.
4 – Finally, you’re supporting your local farmer and driving income directly into your neighborhood and local economies. Small farmers struggle to thrive in the current food system, so supporting them as much as you can helps them and your community thrive. Local farmers deserve a lot more respect. Thanks to them, entire communities have food on their table.
We all should make the farmers market a weekly ritual. If making time for it gets in the way, a monthly trip is better than none. Or look for restaurants and vendors that purchase their produce locally and support them instead.
Support your local farmers market!
