People in the Tyler area should be taking advantage of an abundance of locally grown fruits, vegetables, and other fare at farm markets right now.
Tyler currently has two markets which offer centralized locations where area farmers and consumers can come together to support each other in a win-win situation.
The Tyler Farmer’s Market, which has been in existence for nearly 25 years, is located at the East Texas State Fairgrounds and is open Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. until the last Saturday in August. This market allows locally grown produce and agricultural items to be sold to consumers by farmers in Smith and adjoining counties.
The East Texas Fresh Market, which opened for the first time on Father's Day weekend, is located at 4820 South Broadway (in the parking lot of the shopping center with Bed, Bath and Beyond). This new market allows farmers from within 150 miles of Tyler to sell their locally grown foods and other agricultural products directly to consumers. East Texas Fresh is open Saturdays from 8 a.m. to Noon through the end of the growing season.
A visit to these markets last weekend found all sorts of fruits, vegetables, fresh cut flowers, herbs, and plants for sale. Some of the farmers grow organically (a label which requires state certification to use), some follow 'natural' practices that are organic in nature but are not certified, while others use conventional farming methods.
Local farm markets provide area growers with a centralized location to sell their products at retail prices, helping to ensure their economic viability in the face of increasing land and other input costs. Locally grown produce must be marketed often because it is typically picked at a stage of ripeness that is ready for consumers, which maximizes flavor and nutrients, but decreases the storage and marketing window for some products.
Local farm markets provide consumers with a central location where they can interact with the farmers who produced the food they intend to consume and shop for a changing variety of farm products that come and go with the local growing season. Local markets can also serve as places to gain new presentation or preservation tips for your favorite produce direcly from the farmer themselves.
Remember, one hundred percent of us depend upon two percent of us for survival. Keeping the local farmer in business helps keep our country independent.
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