Historic Longview Farmers Market Reopens for FY 2013!

Spring is here and it is time to get back to shopping at our wonderful local farmers markets! Knowing where your food comes from and how it is grown is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle. By shopping at your local farmers markets, you can buy nutrient dense whole foods grown with care that are freshly harvested, higher in antioxidants, are non-irradiated and that often costs less than what you might find in a supermarket. It also enables you to develop relationships directly with the people who are growing and raising your food, and helps to grow your local economy — something every city needs!

When shopping at local farmers markets, make sure to ask the farmers lots of questions to confirm they are growing sustainably without harmful chemicals and pesticides, and that they are pasture raising animals humanely without GMO feed. Just because products are grown or raised locally, does not always mean that it was grown with organic practices or humanely. 

Don't be afraid to ask questions and to even walk away from nice sweet farmers who are not growing sustainably or who cannot confirm the way they are growing what they are selling. With practice, you will be able to identify who is growing with organic practices and those who are not. If you ask a farmer if they feeding their chickens GMO seeds and they can't answer the question, that is your cue to find another farmer that you can trust. Additionally, if a farmer is using manure on their fields, find out where it came from. If it came from a factory farming feedlot operation, most likely it contains harmful toxins that you would not want to consume. You also want to buy produce from farmers who are regularly testing their soil to make sure you are eating food that is rich with essential nutrients.

Keep in mind that food grown with organic practices can sometimes have a few flaws or holes in the leaves and even a few worms that need to be removed. It is far healthier for you to choose foods that have not been sprayed with toxic pesticides and herbicides than to choose foods that might look prettier. It has been my personal experience that food grown with organic practices tastes far superior to conventionally grown foods, and when you have eaten organically for as long as I have, you become an expert at detecting the taste of pesticides. Nothing tastes worse than biting into a peach you expect to be delicious and tasting chemicals.

Shopping at your local farmers market offers you the experience of sharing community with others. A conventional grocery store does not provide the same energy and friendships. It is always so exciting and fun to interact with friends and vendors, and to see the various varieties of vegetables and flowers that you never have the opportunity to buy or try at a conventional grocery store such as Armenian cucumbers, purple radishes, Japanese eggplant, lemon cucumbers and Kentucky Wonder beans. I hope you will join the fun this year, if you haven't already, while also incorporating a healthy lifestyle that is dependent on vibrant farm fresh food! 

Historic Longview Farmers Market Reopens for FY 2013!

The Historic Longview Farmers Market 2013 season will kick-off this weekend on Saturday, March 30, 2013 at 8:00 AM in downtown Longview, TX on Cotton St. between High St. and Center St! The market is scheduled to be open every Saturday from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM through November depending on Mother Nature!

We are very fortunate to have a wonderful farmers market that also includes many of the East Texas area's sustainable farmers. This year will be its fourth year of operation. Many of our favorite farmers and vendors are returning this year along with many new participants. Please come out and support our local East Texas Farmers!

There is no reselling allowed in this farmers market. The products are grown or made by the farmers!

The success of the farmers market depends on participation from the community. Please support the farmers market by visiting often and buying the products, telling your friends and family, making a donation, buying a banner or volunteering your time to help keep it running. The Historic Longview Farmers Market is a project of Preservation Longview, a 501(c)3 organization. For more information please visit the website and follow on Facebook.

I hope to see you there!!

If you would like to create a more vibrant and healthy life and need personal support and assistance to help you get started, please contact me today! I can help you 866-330-5421. Services are provided nationally via telephone sessions.

Thank you very much for reading my blog and please continue to visit often.

I wish you good health, happiness and love!

Danielle

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