At the market - Eat Local 6

In honor of Eat Local week here in the Rogue Valley, Chris and I dropped in at the south Medford Rogue Valley Grower's and Crafters Market.

The south Medford market is new this year, open on Saturday's from 9-2.

One of the really awesome things about where we live is that there is a growers market, or Farmers market almost every day of the week, within a relatively short distance, from about April to October.

The Rogue Valley Growers and Crafters Market is in Ashland on Tuesday and Saturday. They are here in Medford at the Armory on Thursday and south Medford on Saturday. On Friday afternoon's there is a growers market at Roxy Ann Winery. There is also a market just north of us in Gold Hill one day a week. Not to mention all the local farms like 7 Oaks Farm, Beebe Farms (not us-yes there is really a Beebe Farms here), Fox Run Farms, and many, many more, which sell direct to the public.

In addition to the markets, The Butcher Shop in Eagle Point offers a wide selection of local products including products from the Rogue Valley Creamery, several different local wineries, local meats and fish, local artisan breads, AND they have a produce tent where they offer a variety of local produce. It is a GREAT store. I have even started taking guests there for a little shopping when they are here. :-)

Today, as we wrap up eat local week, we stopped by the south Medford Growers market and picked up a few different things.

Mixed lettuce, corn, eggplant, bok choy and some raw sauerkraut!

YUM!

All week long we have tried to be aware of what we were eating and where it came from. We appreciate the farmers that grow food sustainably and the ranchers that raise animals humanely. In order to show our appreciation we try to be aware of our shopping choices, shop locally, buy locally, from the source when possible, from as close to home as possible, as often as possible.

All these little choices add up to reduced chemicals in our land, water, air and food. They add up to humanely raised animals that are allowed fresh air, fresh water and are not pumped full of chemicals. They add up to less chemicals in our bodies and greater health. They add up to benefits for our local economies and the families in them.

Thanks for coming along with us this week as we ate local, shopped local, and supported our local growers. I hope you found some useful information, and maybe, the next time you see a road side stand of local apples or pumpkins, you might just stop in and pick up a few for yourself!

Though, eat local week is wrapping up officially, we will still continue to make choices to support or local food economy throughout the year and I hope you will, too!

Peppers from our garden!

Happy Eating!