It has been exciting to see the hustle and bustle of commerce at the Hall County Farmers Market, which has a long tradition of providing local residents with a direct connection to Northeast Georgia farmers. But this year, it seems that something more is happening.

Cooperative Extension offices across our area have been flooded with requests for information from residents on growing their own fruits and vegetables, and many more are inquiring as to where they can purchase locally produced food. And not just fruits and vegetables, either; residents are asking about local bread and baked goods, locally grown and processed meat, farm-fresh eggs and homemade jams and jellies.

I recently came across a list of the ‘Top 10 Reasons to Buy Local’ on the Georgia Organics Web site, www.georgiaorganics.org. While I do not have the space to provide the entire list, here are several reasons to buy local.

• Locally grown food tastes better. Food grown in your own community was probably picked within the past day or two. It’s crisp, sweet and loaded with flavor. Several studies have shown that the average distance food travels from farm to plate is 1,500 miles. In a weeklong delay from harvest to dinner table, sugars turn to starches, plant cells shrink and produce loses its vitality.
• Local produce is better for you. A recent study showed that fresh produce loses nutrients quickly. Food that is frozen or canned soon after harvest is actually more nutritious than some "fresh" produce that has been on the truck or supermarket shelf for a week.
• Local food supports local farm families. With fewer than 1 million Americans now claiming farming as their primary occupation, farmers are a vanishing breed. Local farmers who sell direct to consumers cut out the middleman and get full price for their food, which means families can afford to stay on the farm.
• Local food preserves open space. As the value of direct-marketed fruits and vegetables increases, selling farmland for development becomes less likely. When you buy locally grown food, you are doing something proactive about preserving the agricultural landscape.
• Local food supports a clean environment. A well-managed farm is a place where the resources of fertile soil and clean water are valued. Good stewards of the land grow cover crops to prevent erosion and replace nutrients used by their crops. In addition, the patchwork of fields, meadows, woods, ponds and buildings is the perfect environment for many beloved species of wildlife.
• Local food is about the future. By supporting local farmers today, you can help ensure that there will be farms in your community tomorrow, and that future generations will have access to nourishing, flavorful and abundant food.

For more about the Hall County Farmers Market, visit www.hallfarmersmarket.org.