Know how to shop at a farmers market

Shoppers come into markets hoping to gather fresh ingredients for their families and to support small businesses in the area.

But shoppers shouldn’t walk into a farmers market thinking only of finding the freshest ingredients and nothing else.

Just like any shopping trip, it’s important to go into a farmers market with the right plan — and the right supplies.

Forklift & Palate, a restaurant in Manheim dedicated to maintaining an eco-friendly eating atmosphere through the incorporation of environmentally safe energy sources and locally grown ingredients, made a blog post with 10 tips on how to prepare for a trip to the farmers market.

According to Forklift & Palate, it’s important to know what to buy ahead of time and to intentionally pick those ingredients with their seasonalities in mind.

For example, as the national Seasonal Food Guide indicates, shopping for strawberries in June is a great idea because they are in the peak of their season in Pennsylvania. On the other hand, grapes may not be the best market purchase, as the best time of year to buy them is in September.

Related:

• Farm fresh? Yes, but farmers’ markets offerings are months in the making

• Know how to shop at a farmers’ market

• A list of local farmers’ markets

In addition to knowing what to shop for, Forklift & Palate recommends bringing cash and leaving plans to bargain behind. Come prepared to walk around and browse the ingredients available before deciding to purchase something from one vending stall, as there might be multiple options for various produce items.

Most importantly, come with lots of questions for the vendors and their growing processes. Many market-goers overlook the time and dedication that goes into growing ingredients, and if you’re planning on frequenting one particular market or vendor, showing that you care about their process may be the beginning of a fruitful friendship.