Thursday, August 20, 2009

Florin Farmer's Market.

Ive been plagued by the following dilemma since childhood:

Why is a Cup of Ramen Noodles 50 cents, and an apple 1 dollar?

Ramen is full of fat and sodium, while an apple is full of vitamins and fiber. Why should fresh, healthy, and toxin-free foods be more expensive than low quality, processed foods?
And more importantly, how does one possibly encourage healthy eating when such foods are expensive (and in some low income neighborhoods virtually unavailable)?
We expend valuable resources to bring fruits and veggies to the grocery store (and drive up the cost) when these foods can very simply be grown in our own yards.

Local and Sustainable are becoming two very popular concepts as we finally realize and accept that this planet's resources wont last forever. The enviroment can be spared by avoiding foods that require a great deal of energy to process and distibute.

Our bodies wont last forever either; and we shouldnt have to choose between health and our budget.

I stumbled upon the Florin Farmer's market this morning after finishing Dorene's step class at 24 Hour. I realized I didnt have my wallet, so I booked it back home, picked up Bronx and some cash. I was happy to find all of the white tents still erect and plenty of fresh items to choose from.

All of these items were $1.00 for a pound, except for the apples which were 75 cent per lb. (For comparison- at Belair apples were $1.19 per lb.) Even more importantly though, these foods are healthy and their production is highly sustainable!


Not sure how long the Florin Farmer's Market has been operating but its worth checking out. I went on a Thursday morning but Im not sure if its open other days. They also have plenty of other veggie and fruit options...fresh flowers too.




1 comment:

  1. i adore farmer's markets! i'll have to come with you sometime. i used to live near the davis one and walk there all the time. the evening one was fun for family and friend gatherings.

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