HOW IT AFFECTS YOU . . .
{ AND WHAT YOU CAN BE DOING TO HELP. }
The Cherry Street Farmers’ Market exists to provide healthy produce for Tulsans as well as to increase the economic prosperity of local farmers and vendors. The market provides nutritious, locally grown food to customers and reduces its carbon footprint by fostering direct sales between farmers and consumers, as well as by protecting farmland and the wild spaces associated with rural communities.
The Cherry Street Farmers’ Market continues to thrive and expand each year because of the overwhelming embrace of and demand for local, sustainable products. The market has been a leader in sustainable practices and innovative approaches, not only providing a venue for farmers, but also providing farmers themselves a way in which to earn a prosperous living. Cherry Street Farmers’ Market is an integral part of the local community, and it will continue to remain so, providing sustainable alternatives and supporting the local community.
In the end, shopping at the market is one way in which a consumer can register his or her refusal to allow more and more processed foods and corporate control into our grocery stores and homes. When we divorce ourselves from the communion of the table and the seasonality of our food, we close ourselves off from our families, friends, and neighbors, new and old. To believe that food has meaning beyond that of mere fuel surely paves the way for the creation of a food system that is healthier, more ecologically sound, and ultimately more humane. See below for other compelling reasons to BUY LOCAL.
TOP SEVEN REASONS TO BUY LOCAL:
1.COMMUNITY
When you buy local, you support yourself: the money you spend at the market stays in the local community, supporting small business owners and area farmers, which ultimately strengthens the economic base of our community.
2.CULTURE
When you buy local, you keep our community unique: our one-of-a-kind market is an integral part of the distinctive character of Tulsa. This preserves our unique identity and boasts our ability to attract tourists and future citizens.
3.ENVIRONMENT
When you buy local, you reduce your environmental impact: the products sold at the market are locally grown and/or produced, so transportation—and thus pollution—is minimal. This also serves to protect local farmland and habitats.
4.EMPLOYMENT
When you buy local, you create more jobs for your community: the market is an unparalleled way in which to provide support for local farmers, ensuring that they, and the producers relying on their goods, will prosper and grow.
5.SERVICE
When you buy local, you get better service: buying directly from the farmer fosters a relationship you simply cannot get when buying from a corporation. The farmer or vendor knows their products intimately and can pass such knowledge onto the consumer, while the face-to-face interaction fosters empathy and trust.
6.BUSINESS
When you buy local, you invest in your community: shopping at the market insures that local farms and businesses stay in business and creates an environment in which those farms and businesses are more likely to invest in their community.
7.CONTROL
When you buy local, you buy what you want, not what someone wants you to buy: the products you buy at the market are not based on a nation-wide sales plan or market research; those products are offered because of local interest and seasonal availability. Ultimately, this guarantees a broader range of choices for the local consumer and provides said consumer with the freshest, safest, and most sustainable products possible.