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Farms & Markets

Buy Locally Grown

“Buy local” has, over recent years, become part of the pop culture lexicon. But, in reality, it’s more than the cool thing to do, buying local makes sense – for consumers who want and should know the source of their food – and for local farmers whose survival is dependent on community support.

On average, our food travels over 1,800 miles and spends five to seven days in a truck before it reaches our grocery stores. Buying local means the food we consume could be harvested in the morning and consumed tonight.

Providing Howard County citizens with the freshest, healthiest locally grown products has become a priority for many of our farms.  Buying local supports Howard County farmers.

Advantages


There are many advantages to buying produce produced by a local farm.

First, the fruits and vegetables you are receiving are fresher than anything that you are going to find in a store. Most store brought produce is picked 4-7 days before it arrives at the store to be sold. The produce that you buy locally will have needed less travel time and will end up being fresher and lasting you longer.

Second, it is much more environmentally friendly. Store bought produce travels an average of 1,500 miles before arriving at the store. A great deal of energy is consumed to transport these goods, and during that process many items will spoil or become damaged during the shipping. Local produce travels a shorter distance, consuming far less energy.

Lastly, it supports farmers and businesses right here in Howard County. Choosing to buy from a local farmer or farmer’s market means that you are reinvesting your money in the Howard County farming community. This helps us to build a stronger community and stronger economic environment for the county.

Take Action

With so many farms, produce stands, farm to table restaurants and farmers markets in the county, supporting Howard County Agriculture is easier then you think.

To learn more about where you can find locally grown produce please visit our Farm Search.

To see a list of farmers markets with their locations and hours / seasons of operation, please visit our Farmers’ Markets page.

Dining out tonight? Taste the difference that local produce makes. Find a Farm to Table Restaurant near you!

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