Posted by Janet Harriett on Aug.01, 2009

In this video, the operator of a year-round Farmer’s Market in Canada offers tips and advice for farmer’s markets.

After the video: Green Diva Mom’s five tips for shopping at your local Farmer’s Market

Bring a Big Bag and Small Bills

At Farmer’s Markets, you can get a lot of produce inexpensively, so you’ll need something to carry your purchases around in. Because you may only spend a few dollars at each stand, come equipped with small bills, rather than making a farmer make change for a $20 on a purchase of $3. As with garage sales, exact change is always appreciated. To make transactions quick, keep bills in your front pocket. You may want to keep one dollar bills in a separate pocket from fives and tens. Have some quarters on hand, too, or offer to round up to an even dollar amount.

Ask Questions

Don’t be shy about asking the farmer about production methods. You may find that the fruits and vegetables were grown without synthetic fertilizers or pesticides, even if they aren’t labeled organic. Small growers in particular may use organic practices without getting organic certification. By asking, you can also find out what the farmer expects to bring in the coming weeks.

Preview First, Then Buy

Take a lap around the market before you start making any purchases. The preview circuit lets you assess which stands have the highest quality produce and the best prices, so you can make wise purchase decisions. The extra lap also works in a bit more exercise for you, along with the workout of lugging a week’s worth of produce.

Go Early

As the day progresses, the higher-quality produce gets picked over and farmers sell out of items. Latecomers get the smaller, lower-quality fruits and vegetables, and may miss out entirely on the first tomatoes or berries of the season, or the most popular vegetables.

Buy Extra

Farmer’s Markets are one of the best opportunities for inexpensive, local, in-season produce. If you shop the Farmer’s Market weekly, buy two week’s worth of fruits and vegetables, and freeze or dehydrate half for later (check out how to freeze and how to dehydrate). If a farmer has a particularly good deal on a large quantity of produce, consider canning-just be sure to use safe and tested canning methods, outlined by the National Center for Home Food Preservation.

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Posted under GDM Lifestyle, Living, Videos.