You?ll have 10 times more conversations at farmers markets than in grocery stores.
“Research done by sociologists shows it,” said Janna Howley, marketing and outreach manager for FreshFarm Markets, the nonprofit behind the new weekly farmers markets at Harbor East and seven other producer-only markets in D.C. and Maryland.
At Harbor East?s waterfront market, all of the offerings ? fruits, vegetables, butters, cheeses, pasture-raised meats, baked goods, jams, honey, cut flowers and more ? will have been raised, grown or made of ingredients from family farms within a 200-mile radius of Baltimore, Howley said.
“Traceability, knowing where our food comes from, is very important. People are realizing the connection between how their food is grown and their families? health, especially given last year?s spinach scare, the MRSA bacteria in hogs and now the salmonella [contaminated] tomatoes,” Howley said.
“When a farmer is standing in front of customers, seeing them every week, he or she will take a lot of care to ensure they?re growing a quality product.
“There?s a relationship, a level of trust and a back-and-forth conversation. When [food production] is nameless and faceless, passing through many hands, you don?t have that level of traceability.”
During the past two years, Ned Atwater, chef, owner of Attar?s restaurants and manager of a new outdoor market at The Shops at Kenilworth, has seen a dramatic increase in customers wanting to know how their food is grown and prepared.
“It used to be people asked us about price. I thank goodness people now know if they?re looking for healthy and nutritious foods, money isn?t unimportant, but it?s secondary to getting healthy products and something good for you,” Atwater said.
Besides Atwater?s popular soups, sweets and organic breads, the Kenilworth?s Tuesday evening market will offer local farms? fruits and vegetables, chickens, cheeses, eggs, beef, maple syrup and cut flowers.
“We?ll also try to have a grill to give cooking examples with what the farmers brought to the market,” Atwater said. “First and foremost, the most important part of the market is being a part of that community.”
