There are lots of benefits of shopping at farmers’ markets, and Lincoln Farmers’ Market held on the historic Castle Hill, is the perfect place to enjoy them.
Lincoln Farmers’ Market offers the chance to pick up fresh produce found at over thirty stalls from local food and drink producers in the historic cobbled streets of Castle Hill, nestled between Lincoln’s breath-taking Castle and Cathedral.
Here are eleven great reasons to add this market to your monthly calendar:
1. FRESHER FOOD
Go into any supermarket and you really have no idea how long those eggs or potatoes or sausages have been sat on the shelf. However, what you find at a farmers market is about as fresh as it gets. From freshly caught fish to apples that dropped off the tree this morning, there really is no better source for fresh, organic produce.
2. FEWER ADDITIVES AND PRESERVATIVES
Because the timeline is much shorter with local produce than imported produce, farmers don’t have the same need for chemical preservatives. Shopping at a farmers’ market means you can ask the farmers how their crops are raised, what chemicals are used (if any) and when the item was harvested.
3. VALUE FOR MONEY
When selling produce locally, farmers don’t have the same overheads of travel, business rates and export tax, meaning they don’t need to charge more for organic produce as many major retailers do. Fresher food, fewer additives, and easy on the pocket— what’s not to love?
4. ECO-FRIENDLY
Shopping local allows you to cut down on your food miles— almost all fruit and veg found at farmers markets are homegrown and seasonal, meaning less mileage involved in the farm-to-fork process and a smaller carbon footprint. Additionally, produce sold through markets is often unpackaged or sold in cardboard boxes or paper bags, cutting plastic waste even further. Saving the planet has never tasted so good!
5. ACCESS TO MORE ORGANIC PRODUCE
A large majority of farmers at the markets sell organic and free-range produce and will promote it as such, so you can be certain that you are purchasing chemical-free products. Organic farming is better for the soil, the environment, and your body. And, the advantage of a farmers market is that you can actually talk to the producers and learn about their methods of farming directly from the source.
6. SUPPORTING THE LOCAL ECONOMY
Most farmer’s market produce is grown within 50 miles of the market; this means that the farms are a source of local jobs and businesses and are likely to spend money they make on their produce in the local economy. A large number of local food producers are ‘micro’ businesses that initially struggle to distribute widely. So, buying food locally can help these small farming businesses grow and bring new products to the market.
7. PRODUCE WILL BE BETTER TASTING
Buy a tomato from the supermarket and another from the farmer’s market. Now taste them side-by-side and see what you think. Produce from a farmer’s market almost always tastes better. If you start adding farmer’s market produce to your cooking, you’ll be amazed at the difference in flavour and texture.
8. CONNECT WITH THE FARMING COMMUNITY
As well as helping grow the farming community’s economy, buying local means that you can ask for cooking advice and recipes straight from the horse’s mouth (or farmer’s!). Want to find out the best method to make homemade tomato soup? Or how to cook that perfect medium-rare steak? There will almost always be someone on hand at a Farmers Market to answer these questions.
9. YOU’LL FIND PRODUCE THAT ISN’T NECESSARILY READILY AVAILABLE AT A SUPERMARKET
Farmers can offer a dizzying array of fruit, vegetables, and meat. Industrial farms tend to stick to only a few varieties of popular items. Small local farms, on the other hand, favour variety, offering produce you just won’t be able to find in the supermarket.
10. YOUR PRODUCE WILL BE PERFECTLY RIPE
Farmers do not have to allow for extra travel time; meaning the fruit and veg on the stalls will be perfectly ripe and when the plants’ natural sugars are at their peak. Eating produce when it is ripe not only tastes better, but it also provides the best nutrition possible.
11. GREAT LOCATION FOR IT
Lincoln Farmers’ Market makes for a picturesque day out that can be envied by even the largest markets across the country. The market is situated in Lincoln’s Cathderal Quarter, giving you the perfect chance to explore Lincoln’s best boutique independent shops and cafes.
