When you shop at a certified farmers’ market, you’re buying directly from the farm that grew the food. This means you’re supporting the local economy and helping farmers. All of the produce at a certified farmers’ market is grown in California and harvested when it is in season, meaning that everything is fresh, full of flavor, and often priced comparably with a grocery store. Because the produce is generally not stored as long as it is at a grocery store, it has higher nutritional value.

The food has traveled fewer miles to get to the market than food at the grocery store, meaning it has a smaller carbon footprint. Many small and mid-sized farms that sell at farmers’ markets also implement climate-friendly farming practices, such as cover-cropping and rotational grazing.

And it’s fun!