As a farmer who shows up week after week at the market, I can tell you—there’s nothing like seeing customers who genuinely care about their food. No grocery store gimmicks, no shrink-wrapped produce, just good, honest food that we worked our tails off to grow.
But I’ll be straight with you—not every table at the farmers market is the same. Some of us are out there in the fields every day, planting, weeding, harvesting, and caring for the soil. Others? They’re just reselling produce they picked up at a wholesaler.
I’m always happy when a customer asks me real questions. It shows me you care, and honestly, it keeps the whole market more honest. So here’s what I wish more people asked—questions that help you get the freshest, healthiest produce and help you support the farmers who are really doing the work.
When Did You Pick This?
This is my favorite question. If you ask me when I harvested something, I’ll probably light up because I know exactly when I was out there picking it—sometimes just hours ago.
Why It Matters to You:
Fresh food isn’t just tastier, it’s more nutritious.
Food that sat around in storage can’t compete with something we just pulled out of the field.
What You Should Want to Hear:
“This morning” or “last night” means you’re getting the absolute freshest.
If I say “earlier this week,” I’ll tell you how we stored it—cool, clean, and properly handled to keep it fresh.
Do You Spray?
I love when people ask this instead of just assuming. I’m proud of how I grow, and I’ll always tell you the truth. Some of us use no sprays at all, some stick to organic-approved options, and others might spray because they have to—but you deserve to know either way.
Why You Should Ask:
You get to make informed decisions about what you’re eating.
You’ll quickly spot who’s cutting corners.
What You’ll Hear From Me:
“We don’t spray anything” or “we use OMRI-listed organic sprays only.”
I might mention integrated pest management or regenerative practices.
If someone gets dodgy or says, “everything’s safe,” you should push for details.
What’s in Season?
This is a great question because it tells me you care about real, fresh food. Every week, something new is coming into season, and I love helping customers discover what’s at its peak.
Why It’s Good for You:
In-season produce tastes better, is more affordable, and supports real local farming cycles.
What You’ll Hear From Me:
I’ll tell you what’s just hitting its stride and what I’m most excited about. You might even walk away with something new to try—like the first heirloom tomatoes or tender baby greens.
Do You Grow Everything You Sell?
I wish more people asked this because it keeps us honest. I don’t knock resellers, but I think you deserve to know if you’re buying straight from the farm or from a produce distributor.
Why You Should Ask:
When you buy from growers, you’re supporting real farms, real families, and fresh food.
What I’ll Tell You:
“Yes, everything on this table came from our farm.”
If I bring in something I don’t grow, I’ll tell you exactly where it came from and why I chose to offer it.
How Do You Care for Your Soil?
This one’s music to my ears. Good farmers love talking about soil, because we know that healthy soil means healthy plants, healthy people, and a healthy planet.
Why You Should Ask:
Food grown in living, healthy soil is more nutrient-dense and flavorful.
Supporting farms that care for their soil keeps your local land thriving.
What You’ll Hear From Me:
“We compost,” “we use cover crops,” “we’re no-till or low-till,” and “we rotate our crops.”
If I say, “We feed the soil, not just the plants,” you know you’ve found a farmer who’s in it for the long haul.
Can You Visit the Farm?
This one separates the folks who are proud of their farm from those who’d rather you didn’t ask. I’m proud of what I do, and while I might be too busy for casual drop-ins, I’ll always be happy to tell you about the farm and show you photos—or even offer a tour if I can.
Why You Should Ask:
It builds trust and connection.
You know you’re supporting a real local operation, not just a pretty display at a market.
What I’ll Say:
“Absolutely, we host farm days,” or “we don’t do formal tours, but I’ll show you pictures anytime.”
If I don’t allow visits for insurance reasons, I’ll tell you why—but you’ll know I’m being straight with you.
What’s My Favorite Thing Right Now?
This is my favorite question to answer because it gets personal. I’ll always point you to what’s eating best right now—what I’ve been snacking on in the fields or bringing home to my own family.
Why You Should Ask:
You’ll get the inside scoop on what’s really shining this week.
You get to see what we’re proud of.
What You’ll Hear From Me:
“The cherry tomatoes are candy right now,” or “these cucumbers are so crisp we can’t stop eating them,” or “the greens are insanely tender this week.”
A Few Extra Tips From Me to You:
Come early—best stuff sells fast. If you really want to insure you get what you want pre-order through our store for market pick up or delivery!
Bring cash. We’ll always appreciate it, especially small bills. Cash is king, but we do accept most forms of cashless payments.
Bring your own bags (and a cooler if it’s hot). We also have sturdy reusable market bags for sale at a reasonable price!
Don’t be afraid to ask for seconds—we may have slightly imperfect produce we’ll discount.
Follow your favorite farms on social media and interact or join our email lists. We love to let you know what’s coming.
Here’s the Bottom Line:
Look—farmers work hard. Most of us are proud of what we do and are happy to share the story behind our food. We don’t mind your questions. In fact, we appreciate them, because it means you value the effort we put into growing real, honest food.
So next time you’re at the market, ask away. Get to know your farmer, get to know your food! You’ll be helping real farms like mine keep going strong.
Know your farmer, Know your food!! See you at the market!