What makes you think of summer? A beach vacation? A backyard barbeque? Or maybe it’s the thought of all the fresh fruits and vegetables that are bursting with flavor. One of the best parts about summer is that you can eat so well and chances are higher that you can eat something that is picked fresh for you.
Here in Northeastern North Carolina, we are just starting to get into our fresh veggie season. And there is no better place to get something fresh than your local farm market. Farm markets line highway 158 in Currituck County as you start to approach the beach. Filled right now with fresh asparagus and zucchinis, these markets will fill up with all kinds of produce in the next couple of weeks.
As the last farm market before the bridge, The Farm Market specializes in Currituck grown produce. As a subsidiary of United Turf, The Farm Market has a catch phrase—“your veggies are grown on our turf”. Manager Terri Sawyer is proud to point out to the fields just beyond the door to show you where her tomatoes are growing and the cantaloupe. With very few exceptions, she and her team are growing almost everything that will stock the orderly bins in this fresh air market.
United Turf has long been known by Currituck locals for their asparagus and sweet potatoes, with folks calling in to request the new asparagus in the spring and the sweet potatoes over the holidays. Now they have expanded operations further south in Powells Point. They have even grown a type of German cabbage called Kohlrabi which you can use in salads.
It’s common sense that when you buy local more of your money stays in the community. But you would be surprised to understand that The New Economics Foundation, an independent economic think tank based in London, found that twice the money spent on veggies at a local farmer’s market stays in the community as opposed to when you buy it at the supermarket. This supports not only the local farmers and their families but it also has impacts in the services that agriculture based communities can offer, including emergency and child based services. When it comes down to it, buying those healthy, fresh vegetables right off the farm is not only good for you, but you doing something for someone else.
One additional thought about buying local veggies is that the farmers that are able to sell their products locally are often able to use more organic practices in their faming. The preservatives that enable vegetables to travel long and time consuming distances to market are no longer necessary. This benefits the local environment as well.
So the next time you are coming down to the Outer Banks of North Carolina and are traveling down 158, look for your famers markets with the local produce. Stop for a minute, stretch your legs and buy some cucumbers, tomatoes and onions to make an easy salad with Italian dressing, delicious cantaloupe to cut up and share on the beach or get adventurous and add some Kohlrabi to your salad or Cole slaw for that family barbeque. You feel great about making such a healthy stop and you will be starting the wonderful chain of events that results from Buying Local. And say hello to Terri when you stop at The Farm Market.
http://buylocalcurrituck.com/blog/buy-local-produce-currituck/
Buy Local Currituck 