“We have to remember that in different parts of the country, different things are in season,” says Emily Newman, an Alexandria resident who has worked as a certified personal trainer and health and nutrition coach at Falls Church’s OneLife Fitness for the last 17 years. “Farmers markets give people an opportunity to buy fruits and vegetables that they may not sell in the grocery store … and it’s such a great opportunity to try veggies that you haven’t tried before.
“For Virginia there’s this thing called lamb quarters, which is a leafy green, or morrel, which is a wild mushroom,” Newman went on, listing off other Virginia specific fruits and veggies you can find in season at farmers markets right now: arugula, asparagus, beets, carrots, cherries, collard greens, lettuce, leeks, kale, onions, radishes, rhubarb, sorrel, spinach, sprouts and strawberries, plus a handful of herbs.
But seeing all this produce on display can be overwhelming for first-time farmers market goers and seasoned shoppers alike, especially considering the blurred lines that surround the term “organic.”
“Some people make the assumption that if they’re buying local that they’re also buying organic, and it’s not necessarily true because in order for the farmers to get the actual organic certification it costs a great deal of money, so they may still actually have organic produce, but may not have the actual certification for it,” explains Newman, who prefers organic goods. “Usually if you ask the farmer for clarification, they will give it to you …. and then you can make the decision that is best for you.”
Newman also mentions that a benefit of shopping local as opposed to at a grocery store is farmers markets’ freshness factor. “A lot of the time at the grocery store your food has been on the road or it has been shipped from Mexico and you don’t know how long it’s been from when it was picked to when it’s actually getting to your plate. So that’s the great thing about farmers markets, that usually it’s fresh and it can be [only] 48 hours [between] when it was picked and when it’s at the market.”
While pros of buying farmers market produce are that it may be fresher and a few steps closer to organic than what you might find at area grocers, a con is that it may be more expensive.
“I always say if you’re buying organic or you’re buying local and you spend an extra buck or two, [it’s] worth it. You are what you eat so you might as well put good things in your stomach,” says Newman, who shops at the West End Farmers Market and also enjoys the one in Old Town.
For those willing to switch up their grocery routine and give farmers markets a try, Newman recommends bringing your own bag, and taking a few laps around first to check out all that there is to offer, then to assess who has the best quality and who offers the biggest bang for your buck. To save some money, she also says to not be afraid to do a little bit of haggling, but advises not to go overboard.
“You have to not rush yourself and enjoy the experience,” says Newman. “I particularly like the farmers markets that sell more than just fruits and vegetables—it’s fun to see what are the fresh baked goods, or some of the farmers markets are selling grass-fed beef, yogurt or eggs … or even people selling natural soaps or natural oils or roasted nuts. The experience is more fun when I have more to look at and more to do.”
