CNN Features Rose Park Farmers Market
When CNN asked me to talk to them about why farmers markets are important, I knew just the place to film: our own Rose Park Farmers Market. Farmers Market produce is superior because when fruits and vegetables are picked at their peak ripeness and brought to you immediately, their flavor and nutrition are at their best.
And while produce from the Farmers Market is more tender, sweet and juicy, and will improve your health, it also saves the environment. Buying seasonal, locally grown fruits and vegetables can halt global warming by lowering greenhouse gases, saving land, energy and water.
Environmental resourse conservation is reduced if food is transported long distances and grown in large industrial farms which specialize in only one or a few foods. Locally, organically produced food saves water, energy, and encourages a region's unique varieties of fruits and vegetables. Heirloom varietes, for example, have been passed down through generations, have natural resistance to pests, disease and are better able to tolerate local conditions without too much extra energy, pesticides or water.