Fresh, Local Food: It’s closer than you think!

What’s your favorite farmers’ market in your area? Where do you go to pick apples, pumpkins, or strawberries? If you can’t answer these questions or can only come up with one or two answers, it’s time to familiarize yourself with the fantastic local food resources that are just waiting for you to discover them!

Whether you’re new to exploring local farms and farmers’ markets or you just can’t get enough of your local food scene, FarmRaiser is here to help! Here are a few of our favorite resources and tips for finding fresh, local products.

 

Resources for Finding Local Farms and Food

1. Real Time Farms

Real Time Farms is a crowd-sourced guide to finding farms, food artisans, farmers’ markets, and eateries near you. Simply enter your location and see a map of your options!  Real Time Farms is a great resource to consult when you’re coming up with weekend plans, move to a new area, or are just looking to increase your support of local farms and businesses. If you are a farmer, business owner, or savvy local foodie and know of something that Real Time Farms needs to include, don’t forget to add it to the site!

2. Local Harvest

In addition to helping you find local food producers and markets, Local Harvest is a great tool for those looking for information on CSAs (read more about them here) as well as details on upcoming events at local farms and markets. Attending food events near you is an easy way to learn more about the farms and food artisans in your area, and is a perfect way to get kids interested and engaged in eating healthy food.

 

3. Eat Well

Eat Well is a guide to sustainable, local food and products around you that also provides info on shops, markets, restaurants, and organizations to help you make smart choices about where you spend your money and time. If you’re searching for farms, coffee shops, or organizations that support sustainable agriculture and local farmers/food artisans, Eat Well is a perfect place to start.

4. Puget Sound Fresh

Puget Sound Fresh is the Northwest’s guide to what’s fresh, local and perfectly ripe all year round. Local farm, fisheries and forest fresh products abound in the Pacific Northwest, and Puget Sound Fresh is your one stop guide to finding the best the season has to offer. If you’re searching for farms, corn mazes, farmers markets, freshly foraged morels, or the most sustainable seafood, Puget Sound Fresh is the place to start.

 

Helpful Tips

1. Host a FarmRaiser healthy fundraising campaign at your school or organization! Students sell healthy, local produce and products from the farms and food artisans in your area, so it’s a great way to expose yourself and your community to the abundance of amazing local food surrounding you. If there’s a particular farmer or food artisan in your community whose products you love, we’ll work with you to get their products into your fundraiser.

2. Talk to your local farmers about their farms! The next time you visit your local farmers’ market, don’t just hand over your money and leave. If the farmer you’re buying from isn’t too busy with other customers, ask her questions about what she grows, if there are “You Pick” opportunities at her farm, or if her farm hosts any events during the year.

 

Regardless of if you find them by hosting or supporting a FarmRaiser campaign, searching online, or by word of mouth, visiting area farms and farmers’ markets is vital in improving your local food system and economy as well as your health. For more information on how to support local farmers and food artisans and do your part to strengthen the sustainable agriculture movement, email us at info@farmraiser.com.

 

Want to explore your local farms and farmers’ markets but aren’t sure where to start? Let FarmRaiser help.