Are farmers' markets more about lifestyle than feeding people efficiently?
Farmers' markets have become trendy weekend spots, but I've noticed most vendors sell the same handful of crops—kale, heirloom tomatoes, and microgreens—that barely reflect what our region actually grows. Last month, I asked five stallholders at my local market why they don't offer more storage crops like potatoes or onions, and three admitted they're too labor-intensive to prep for retail. Should we accept that farmers' markets are more about lifestyle than about feeding people efficiently, or are we losing something important by letting supermarkets dictate our produce choices?