How To Shop At A Farmer's Market

One of the benefits of being located on one of the Hawaiian islands is the fresh locally grown food.  Our “How To Shop At A Farmer's Market Quick Tips” is going to help you seek out and secures some of the tastiest items available.

There is a wide variety of produce items that don't do well in a commercial distribution chain limiting their export to the continental United States.   Fortunately, you are on island and ready to get your farmer's market on!

There are various tropical fruits that at first glance may seem peculiar, unfamiliar, and questionable by visual inspection but don't let that stop you from being swept away in the exceptional experience of incredible taste; so delicious.

Depending on which local Hawaii farmer's market you attend the opportunity to find a wide range of goods exist.  A typical spread will include, but not limited to, tropical fruit, vegetables, dairy products, meat, breads, and a host of home crafted goods such as fermented foods.

If you are looking for nutrient dense ultra healthy produce the search isn't always as easy as showing up, it can be challenging.   Unfortunately these islands that are prime for establishing a self sufficient food web import a surprisingly high percentage of food.

I have seen the import range percentage vary with all numbers being to the high side.  The important fact is that more and more people are choosing to grow local food and the support for this shift is strong; your seeking out high quality locally grown food supports that movement too.

Until the local beyond organic produce production is common place at all the markets we offer a couple tips for roaming through the market place.

How to look for organic, or beyond organic, food:

• Look under and around the booth tables.  Organic producers will often have large coolers that they bring their organic produce & organic meat to the market.  Vendors who pick up their produce at a wholesale seller often show up with the waxy boxes stamped with the large industrial food suppliers logo stamped all over the boxes.
• Ask!  Simply ask the seller if they work on the farm, what position they hold, and if the products are organic.  A great thing to ask is if you can visit the farm.  Often times organic or beyond organic style growers are excited to have people out to the farm to show off their operation.  People who aren't growing organic but claim they are won't have you out to the farm.
• Look for items that are not the standard offering.  Many times people who are carrying items that are not found at every other table indicate a good place to dig a little further.
• Get a referral from someone you have identified as a grower at the market.  When you find an organic grower ask them who else at the farmer's market might be an organic grower.