Street Talk
Farmers Market Keeps Money In Local Economy
By Mickey Howley
In less than two months Water Valley’s weekly Farmers Market will open for every Saturday morning through October. The May 8th Main Street Market Festival will kick open the market with music, arts and crafts, games for young and old.
Your Water Valley Main Street Association thinks the market is important as it brings people downtown on Saturday morning. This keeps more money in the local economy, we are very big on shop local and all the benefits that shopping local can return to this town. Plus, it is a social event; you get to meet your neighbors. And the produce there is local and fresh.
Not that you cannot buy local and fresh at our local grocery stores, you can. The Farmers Market compliments the stores, some of the things the Farmers Market has are just not available at the local stores, from the homemade jams to the specialty garlic, and the Farmers Market fills a niche.
I have made mention before about, how for me, fresh produce has a great taste, something that gets lost with canning or freezing or refrigeration. It is just that edge that freshness brings to your taste buds. It is like that for many things, ask any fisherman and you’ll hear that fresh fish is far superior to frozen. But it is more than taste that makes local and fresh produce important.
When I was very young, my mom would watch our black and white TV and exercise along with The Jack LaLanne Show before she would go to work. I did not know it at the time, but LaLanne was already in his late 40s. If you don’t know it, Jack LaLanne is still going strong at 95. He is a pretty amazing guy. But what he says has kept him going is pretty simple, daily exercise and proper diet. His quote on proper diet is “if man made it, don’t eat it” and Jack never eats dessert. A pretty simple rule as a guide for a diet. As for exercise, he works out for two hours every morning.
Of course, not everybody is Jack LaLanne, but proper diet and regular exercise are important to living a long and healthy life. It is a bit crazy that Mississippi is the fattest state in the nation when, because of our agriculture and climate, we certainly could be benefitting from proper diet and year round exercise.
The governor’s health program, “Let’s go walking Mississippi” is really right on the money. Just simple walking, elevating your heart rate a bit and moving your body will do wonders. So think about Jack LaLanne next time you are contemplating your waistline. Just diet and exercise, it’s that simple. And think about how good fresh produce is for you when you shop the Farmers Market.
Last week’s survey on weather wishes ties between 70 degree temperatures and 80s and 90s degrees as perfect festival weather. Pretty clear no one wants it cool. See www.watervalleymainsreet.com for what is your favorite Farmers Market produce.
