{"id":77653,"date":"2016-06-21T06:42:46","date_gmt":"2016-06-21T10:42:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/?p=77653"},"modified":"2025-01-29T17:07:56","modified_gmt":"2025-01-29T22:07:56","slug":"dos-donts-shopping-farmers-markets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/2016\/06\/21\/dos-donts-shopping-farmers-markets\/","title":{"rendered":"Dos and don\u2019ts of shopping at farmers markets"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"(Photo:<\/a>
(Photo: Jonas Bengtsson<\/a>\/Flickr)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

TORONTO \u2013 Farmers markets might be intimidating for those used to whipping around large supermarkets with a list in hand.<\/p>\n

But most shoppers become hooked by the array of the freshest food available and the chance to discuss with the actual producers where it came from.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s just different than going to a grocery store. People may not really get that realization of how different it really is if you\u2019ve never been before,\u201d says Eileen Kotowich, farmers market specialist with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry, which recently launched a smartphone app with information on just over 130 markets around the province.<\/p>\n

Here are some dos and don\u2019ts of visiting farmers markets from Kotowich and Matt Gomez, founder of Soil Mate, an online tool that connects consumers in Canada and the U.<\/p>\n

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S. with local food and drink growers, raisers, producers and supporters.<\/p>\n

Rise and shine<\/strong><\/p>\n

For best selection, shop early. On the other hand, latecomers might score bargains from farmers who don\u2019t want to pack up leftovers.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t expect to get everything on your grocery list.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou may be somebody who always eats carrots every week. Well, they\u2019re only in season at a certain point so if you\u2019re going to a farmers market right now in the middle of June you won\u2019t be finding carrots or new potatoes,\u201d Kotowich says from Vermilion, Alta.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve got to really learn what\u2019s the seasonality of these vegetables and when they\u2019re available so you\u2019re eating them at the peak.\u201d<\/p>\n

The price is right<\/strong><\/p>\n

Haggling for the best price is acceptable in many parts of the world, but the practice is generally frowned upon at farmers markets in Canada.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have to think of a farmer\u2019s total business, how weather dependent it is. Every year their income will vary greatly on factors that are outside their control,\u201d Gomez says from Kelowna, B.C.<\/p>\n

Kotowich says labour and costs are typically higher because they\u2019re operating on a small scale and doing tasks by hand.<\/p>\n

Take a loop of the market before you start buying as costs can vary.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t touch… Unless you\u2019re invited<\/strong><\/p>\n

If vendors want you to taste things they\u2019ll offer samples such as pieces of fruit or hot food cut into bite-sized pieces.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat for me is probably one of the best things because if I come across a food I\u2019ve never seen before I may be reluctant to take home a whole package of it, but if I get the chance to try it and they tell me how to cook it to make it be exactly how they\u2019ve done it, that\u2019s just the best way to shop,\u201d Kotowich says.<\/p>\n

Boxes of berries are often sold by weight, so if people take samples someone else can get shortchanged. \u201cIt shouldn\u2019t be treated as a buffet line or a sample station unless they\u2019re providing samples,\u201d says Gomez.<\/p>\n

\u201cAn organic farmer is less likely to have toxic sprays on them so they would also be more inclined to let you taste without it being washed.\u201d<\/p>\n

The benefit of going to a market is that you can questions.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey generally prefer it rather than people manhandling their product because the difference from a store is typically a store product has been transported and in some cases artificially ripened or picked when not quite ripe whereas farmers market product is typically picked ripe and sold ripe because it\u2019s more fragile,\u201d says Gomez.<\/p>\n

Try something new<\/strong><\/p>\n

Farmers markets offer a wealth of knowledge about unusual vegetables and alternative livestock like elk, bison and goat and how to prepare and store them.<\/p>\n

\u201cGetting the chance to talk to these guys, how do you raise your animal and how do you feel about hormones and do you use pesticides on your crops, that sort of stuff, it\u2019s so top of mind with people right now,\u201d says Kotowich.<\/p>\n

Aw, shucks<\/strong><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t pull the husks down on ears of corn. Ask vendors when the corn was picked and if it\u2019s possible to look.<\/p>\n

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Most are happy to help rather than have customers shuck the corn.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere needs to be a little bit of trust that the vendors are picking them at their peak of ripeness and that every cob that\u2019s there will be good, but if you\u2019re not sure, ask them before you start pulling them open because it does remove the moisture from the cob and it doesn\u2019t look as nice when it\u2019s sitting there starting to dry out,\u201d says Kotowich.<\/p>\n

Tote it<\/strong><\/p>\n

Take large empty bags and cash in small bills.<\/p>\n

Some markets have ATMs and some farmers offer electronic payment options, but most deal in cash, says Gomez.<\/p>\n

Take a cooler and ice packs to keep perishable food safe.<\/p>\n

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