5 Ways to Support Local Farms This Fall
As the seasons change and fall arrives in Davidson County, it’s a great time to reconnect with the farmers, growers, and local food producers who help keep our community fed.
Supporting local farms doesn’t have to mean making a major lifestyle change. Small, everyday choices can make a meaningful difference for local farmers and the broader food system. Whether you’re shopping for your weekly groceries, planning a weekend outing, or looking for ways to stay connected to where your food comes from, there are plenty of ways to support local agriculture this fall.
Here are five simple ways to get started.
1. Shop Your Local Farmers Markets
One of the easiest ways to support local farms is to shop directly from the farmers and producers who grow and make your food.
In Davidson County, the Lexington Farmers Market and Thomasville Farmers Market offer opportunities to meet local farmers, discover seasonal products, and support the people growing and producing food in the community.
Fall is a particularly great time to visit the markets as the season brings new produce and locally made products to the table. Take some time to talk with vendors, ask what’s in season, and try something new.
And when the regular market season winds down, keep an eye out for special and winter market opportunities. Supporting local food doesn’t have to end when summer does.
2. Shop Piedmont Fresh Year-Round
You don’t have to wait for farmers market day to shop local.
Piedmont Fresh, a food hub initiative of Davidson County Local Food Network, makes it possible to shop from local farmers and producers online throughout the year. Shoppers can browse a variety of locally produced foods, place an order online, and pick it up at one of several convenient locations throughout the Piedmont.
Piedmont Fresh’s weekly order window opens Friday at noon and closes Monday at 11:59 PM, with orders available for Thursday pickup. This makes it a convenient option for people who want to incorporate local food into their regular grocery routine—even when they can’t make it to a farmers market.
Shopping through Piedmont Fresh helps connect consumers with local producers while making local food more accessible and convenient.
3. Look for Local Food When You Shop
Supporting local farms doesn’t stop at the farmers market or Piedmont Fresh. When grocery shopping, eating out, or planning meals, look for opportunities to purchase locally grown or locally produced foods.
Choosing local products when they’re available helps create demand for local agriculture and supports the farmers and producers who supply our communities. Even replacing one or two items in your regular grocery trip with a local option can make a difference.
You can also ask your favorite restaurants, stores, and other businesses if they source from local farms. Letting businesses know that local food matters to you can help encourage more local sourcing.
4. Attend Local Farm and Food Events
Supporting local farms can be about more than buying food. Visiting a farm, attending an agricultural event, participating in an educational program, or taking part in a community food event gives you another opportunity to connect with the people who grow and produce your food.
These experiences help strengthen the relationship between farmers and the community while giving individuals and families a chance to learn more about local agriculture.
Keep an eye out for farm events, workshops, open houses, markets, and other agricultural activities happening throughout Davidson County and the surrounding area this fall.
5. Share Local Farms With Your Friends and Family
One of the simplest ways to support local farms is to help other people discover them.
Follow local farms and food producers on social media, share their posts, recommend a favorite farmer to a friend, or bring someone with you the next time you visit a farmers market. If you find a local product you love, tell someone about it.
Word of mouth can go a long way. The more people who know about local farmers, markets, producers, and food resources, the stronger the local food network becomes.
Make Local Food Part of Your Fall—and Beyond
Supporting local farms doesn’t have to be complicated. Visit the Lexington or Thomasville Farmers Market on the weekends. Shop Piedmont Fresh throughout the year. Choose a local product at the grocery store. Attend a farm event. Tell a friend about a farmer you love, because every purchase and every connection helps strengthen the local food system and supports the people working to grow and produce food.
This fall, take the opportunity to know your farmer, know your food, and support local.