The Benefits of Shopping at a Farmer's Market Spring showers bring the taste of fresh, delicious spring fruits and vegetables to neighborhoods and communities. Explore and discover a variety of the season's ripest produce in one convenient place, a Farmers Market.

Most fruits and vegetables have a special peak time of year when they taste their best and are most abundant. In general, the more recently they've been picked, the better the fruits and vegetables taste. Here are some suggestions on finding, starting, or exploring a farmers market.

About Farmers Markets

Where: Often located in neighborhoods, business districts, hospitals, and colleges— can be an inside or outside facility.

Who: A collection of farmers (urban or rural), urban gardeners, and small food producers; such as, bakers and cheese makers.

What: Selling fruit, vegetables, and other foods they grew or made.

Explore: Farmers Markets are great places to try new fruits, vegetables, and other foods. Farmers and vendors often have samples of their product available for free taste tests. Each season at the Farmers Market will bring new and different foods. Walk around and you may discover an exciting taste or flavor.

Foods You Might Find in the Spring

Some of the following fruits and vegetables should be in season and offered at your farmers market this March through May:

• Aspargus

• Spinach

• Rhubarb

• Peas: Snap Peas, Snow Peas, all kinds of peas

• Green Onions

• Lettuce

• Artichoke

• Fennel

• Radishes

• Cherries (late spring)

Farmers Market Resources:

Explore the farmers' markets in your city, zip code, and state with this locating tool.

USDA Wholesale and Farmers Markets is a guide produced by the Agricultural Marketing Service which includes information on farmers market programs, projects, funding sources, coalitions, statistics, and publications.

Source: http://www.cdc.gov