There are few things in life that can compare to the deliciousness of biting into a fresh piece of fruit, picked and washed just moments before enjoying it.
Everything about it is local — the growing, the gathering, the cleaning and, obviously, the eating.
Compare that to buying a flat of the same product, sitting in a lukewarm shipping container while travelling hundreds if not thousands of miles to end up in a grocery store.
Which would you think would taste better?
It goes without saying that we’re in an economic bind right now; why is so much in resources being wasted in hauling goods for so many miles when the exact same things can be grown in someone’s backyard? There’s nothing about it that can make any sense. It’s satisfying to see where your money goes, to take out the middleman and buy directly from the source, and there’s no better way to do so than to support local growers at the nearest farmer’s market.
This area has several: Lake Forest Park, Edmonds, Mukilteo, Snohomish and one of the nation’s best at north Seattle, in the University District. All of which offer some of the freshest goods you can get.
Better still is knowing that the money you spend there goes right back into the community, giving back a better yield and product every month. While some complain the cost is always higher than what you could find in any run-of-the-mill grocery store, it’s a worthwhile cost to pay as a boost to the local economy.
So the next time you bite into an apple, raspberry, strawberry or peach, or cook with garlic, onions, zucchini or any blend of herbs, think of where it came from, how far it travelled to get onto your plate, and who the funds support. Happiness may be a lot closer than you think.
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