The Spirituality of Farmers’ Markets
It is a beautiful thing to see that most farmers' markets are open again. Our daughter and son-in-law own an organic vegetable farm, and we are fortunate to be able to shop at the market where they sell each week. Chances are, there is a farmers’ market somewhere near where you live. I certainly understand their popularity, as going to a local farmers' market to shop for our produce is always a fun experience. It seems to me there are at least three reasons that these markets are so popular. The first reason is community. Farmers' markets are communal by nature. They bring together producers of various kinds (vegetable farmers, growers of flowers, organic meat producers, bakers, local artisans, musicians, and more). At the same time, they bring together the community. Part of the fun of going to a farmer's market is running into neighbors and friends. Since the beginning of time, food has brought people together, and community is shared and nurtured.
I think another reason these markets are so popular is that, as the saying goes, "They are keeping it real." The produce offered at farmers' markets is almost always free of pesticides and other chemicals. In a world where much is artificial and "new and improved," there is something extraordinary about eating and buying food that is produced the same way it has been for hundreds of years ago.
The final reason (although I know there are many more than the three I am listing here) that I love farmers' markets is because they directly connect me with the source of the food I am eating. When I buy my produce from the grocery store, I don't directly connect to the farmer and the land from where the food comes.
Spirituality is central to my life, so I do many things to practice and nurture my spiritual wellness. It occurs to me as I write about what I love about farmers' markets that I am describing what, for me, are three cornerstones of spirituality: community, "keeping it real," and connecting with the source from which all life comes. It's no wonder I love farmers' markets so much! If you haven't visited one yet, you still have time to support your local farmer and your own well-being at the same time.
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