Farmers Markets

Janine MacLachlan, Food Writer, Blogger, and Founder of The Rustic Kitchen Cooking School

Lisa Bralts, Economic Development Specialist Director, Urbana's Market at the Square City of Urbana

Host: Craig Cohen

We can get our food from most anywhere – restaurants and grocery stores abound in most communities across the country. Even if you live in a small town, many food options are just a short drive away. But much of what we bring home from the grocery store – and much of what many restaurants (especially the fast food variety) serve is processed, pre-packaged, and probably not all that fresh.

And then there are farmer’s markets. Growers, producers and artisans bring fresh food from their local communities to such markets every week. And some consumers absolutely swear by various seasonal markets and farmstands.

Is the food really all that different? What controls are in place to ensure quality and freshness in farmer’s markets? How do you know you’re really getting the higher quality you pay for? And just what are the advantages for you, your family, and your community in seeing that such farmer’s markets succeed?

We’ll discuss the potential benefits of vibrant farmer’s markets for a community, and seek out your experiences shopping at them – or perhaps bringing your own fare to market, as we talk with Janine MacLachlan, a food writer, blogger and founder of The Rustic Kitchen Cooking School.  She’s the author of Farmers’ Markets of the Heartland. We’ll also be joined by Lisa Bralts, Economic Development Specialist Director for Urbana’s Market at the Square for the City of Urbana. She and Market at the Square are featured prominently in MacLachlan’s book.