Throughout the summer, I have the pleasure of frequently visiting the farmers markets in our area.

It's been exciting to see the hustle and bustle of commerce taking place at the Hall County Farmers Market, the Market on the Square in Downtown Gainesville and the new Spout Springs Library Farmers Market. Seems there is a lot of new interest in farmers markets this year.

County Extension offices across the state 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-grown food. And not just fruits and vegetables, either; residents are asking about local bread and baked goods, locally grown and processed meat, local honey, farm-fresh eggs and homemade jams and jellies.

You may ask: Why the heightened interest in local food? Georgia Organics answers that very question in its list of the "Top 10 Reasons to Buy Local."

While there is not space to provide the entire list, here are several good reasons to buy local. And if you haven't visited one of our farmers markets this year, there's still plenty of time. They will be open well into October.

n 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.

n 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.

n 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 retail price for their food, which means farm families can afford to stay on the farm, doing the work they love.

n 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.

n 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 information on all three Hall County markets, click here.

Billy Skaggs is agriculture agent and county extension coordinator for the UGA Cooperative Extension in Hall County. You can contact him at 770-535-8293, www.hallcounty.org/extension. His column appears biweekly on Thursday's Business page and at gainesvilletimes.com.