Are you interested in selling your locally grown produce online and finding local farmers’ markets to sell your goods? If so, look no further than the Trade Shack! We enable you to sell your produce online and encourage online connections for offline communication. Connect with your local farmers and postcode community members. The Trade Shack is not just a website it is a central hub where food growers, backyard growers, and local community members come together online to talk about food, buy food and sell food. Supporting the local farmers and shortening the supply chain. It is the ONLINE FARMERS MARKET of the future.
Here are ten reasons why the Trade Shack is the perfect place to buy and sell fresh, locally-grown produce:
1. Fresher Produce
One of the biggest benefits of buying produce from the Trade Shack Local Growers or the Farmers Markets is that the produce is fresher than what you might find at the grocery store. Since the produce is sourced from local growers, it is often picked within the past 24 hours. This means that the produce is still at its peak freshness and flavor when you pick it up. There is also the option for local growers to pre-sales, which means they receive your order before they harvest, it is almost like you walking out on the farm and picking what you need that is how fresh it is.
Buying fresh produce has many advantages. For example, it is higher in nutrients than produce that has been sitting in a warehouse or on a truck for several days. Fresh produce has a better texture, juice and taste, which can make it more enjoyable to eat and arguably healthier and better for the environment because you will eat it ALL and never wast a single bite again.
2. Farmers Markets allow you to Taste
As mentioned above, fresh produce direct from the farm tastes much better than produce that has been sitting in a warehouse or on a truck for days. The farmers stand by their product so much so that you can often taste test the vegetables at the local farmers markets for free. Try before you buy so to speak. The flavor of produce can degrade quickly when it is harvested, which is why buying from local growers can be mind-blowing. On several occasions I have brought fresh produce to our bi-weekly postcode community meeting, only to hear that many are surprised by the flavor of the food. They generally have no idea how good fresh, backyard-grown food taste
Fresh produce has a higher concentration of natural sugars, which can make it taste sweeter which helps get the kids to eat those veggies, no more funny faces when fresh food is put on the dinner table. Additionally, when produce is allowed to ripen on the vine or tree, it develops a more complex flavor profile. This means that fresh produce can have a richer, more nuanced taste than produce that has been picked early for shipping or only harvested based upon pre-sales that are exchanged at the farmers markets.
3. Seasonal Varieties
One of the benefits of shopping at the Farmers Markets is that you can find seasonal varieties of produce, supermarkets have all varieties all year round, you have to wonder how healthy that might be. Nature knows best on what is needed to sustain a healthy lifestyle during the different seasons, it grows the food you need for that season. Seasonal produce is often at its peak freshness and flavor, which can make it more enjoyable to eat.
For example, in the summer, you might find juicy, ripe mangoes, while in the fall, you might find fleshy tomatos or sweet pumpkins. Shopping for seasonal produce can help you eat a more varied and balanced diet while also supporting local growers.
4. Supports Local Agriculture
Buying from the Trade Shack supports local agriculture and helps keep money within the community, although we generally do not organise the farmers markets, as it is a specialised skill, we do promote farmers markets online. Even better we enable direct connections online for offline communication and purchases of fresh locally grown produce. When you buy produce from local growers, you are supporting small businesses and helping to keep family farms in operation.
Additionally, buying locally-grown produce can help reduce the carbon footprint of your food. Since the produce doesn’t need to be shipped long distances, it requires less fuel and produces fewer greenhouse gas emissions.
5. Lower Prices
One of the advantages of buying produce from farmers markets near you is that the prices are often lower than grocery store prices. Since there are no middlemen involved in the transaction, growers can charge less for their produce and still make a profit.
This means that you can get high-quality, fresh produce at an affordable price. Additionally, since the produce is grown locally, you don’t have to pay for the costs of long-distance shipping, which can further reduce the price.
6. Sustainable Practices
Many of the growers who sell on Trade Shack use sustainable farming practices. Sustainable farming involves using fewer chemicals and promoting soil health. This can help reduce the environmental impact of farming and promote the long-term health of the land.
Sustainable farming can also lead to healthier and more flavorful produce. By promoting soil health, farmers can improve the nutrient content of the soil, which can lead to more nutrient-dense produce. Additionally, using fewer chemicals can reduce the risk of chemical residues on the produce. But farmers cannot do it alone, for that reason you should ditch the supermarkets and go to the local farmers markets in your area. Support local farmers.
7. Direct Communication
When you buy from the local farmers markets, you can directly communicate with the farmers who grew the produce. This can be advantageous for several reasons. For example, you can learn more about the varieties of produce that are available and how they were grown, meet the face behind the produce. Show your support for locally grown food with a very short supply chain. Remember that when Covid-19 hit and all the places were shutdown or in lockdown, you would still be able to get food from your local farmer.
Additionally, direct communication with farmers can help build a sense of community around food. By getting to know the people