Each morning I wake groggily and find my way to the kitchen. I pour a steaming cup of coffee and head out to the garden. Slowly I make my way around mounds of soil and baby plants to see the growth that took place over night. They are always growing. New sprouts– where nothing was yesterday, today there is green life, new leaves, and finally–first fruits.

During my first year of shopping regularly at the Farmers’ Markets, I made a point of asking the farmers whether or not they “Were organic.” I quickly found that this question resulted in vague and ambiguous answers. That is because although the term “organic” is tightly regulated, it really doesn’t matter that much when it comes to shopping at Farmers’ Markets.

Finding a healthier you is a very personal journey. Your goals are unique to you, and so now is the time to leave fad diets behind and begin forging your own path to achieving your personal health goals!

The Farmers’ Market offers a fun, educational, hands-on shopping experience while giving us the opportunity to support our community of farmers; as well as buy fresh, local ingredients at affordable prices! Check out today’s post where I share 7 Simple Ways to Shop With Confidence at Your Farmers’ Market!

Shopping at the farmers’ market was not easy for me; not at first, and it did not feel natural. It was a very different shopping experience then I was used to. I was used to walking down sterile aisles with too many options of too many processed foods, and next to no interaction with another human being besides offering my answer to “Paper or plastic?”

There was always a bit of commotion when my mom was making chocolate chip cookies. Along with the warm, sweet aroma wafting from the kitchen came a distinct “whack!” “whack!” “whack!”; the telltale melody of cookies coming out of the oven and being dropped onto the counter top.