Best Ways to Find your Local Farmer's Markets and Organic Food Coops

We have been discussing in a few forums and shows at Momtv about the need of healthier ways to feed our families. Unfortunately, in the United States there has been a lack of self interest in knowing the quality of our foods. We have been accepting what the mass media has chosen as the best foods and we have ended up as one of the sickest Countries in the world! Can you believe this?

Thank Goodness! A new trend of Healthy Living has arise and more and more people are turning away from fast foods and industrially processed foods.

But then, we are faced with another challenge! It can be pretty costly to eat healthy. The price of all natural products, or organic products at the local Health Food Stores can raise your weekly expenses dramatically. So, how do we do it? Most of us are in an a tight budget and eating healthy can brake us for good. Do we settle for cheap unhealthy food?, or do we manage to find healthy organic foods at reasonable prices?

I have been thinking about bringing you every week tips and tricks to find the best Natural and Organic Products.

This week I want to bring some fun and easy links to get access to your local Farmer's Markets as well as as Organic Food Coops.

I love technology! And it looks that our farmers are getting in with the times too. This were my favorite links to find your local Farmers Markets by County (If you have the option of the County, go with it, you may find information on close areas that you did not have in mind).

FARMERS MARKET DOT COM This a fun website! They have been compiling a lot of information by State. Just click on your State and then scroll down until you find the closest one to you. At the end of each page you will see a link "MORE" click on it and it will take to more and more pages.

http://state.farmersmarket.com/


LOCAL HARVEST. This website has tons of information and it even has the option for you to purchase organic and natural products directly from it. Prices are still a little high but it also gives you the option to search for your local producers and farmers by State, City or Zip Code. Once you have the search options, you can see a little bit of information per organization and how to contact them. Some of them, even offer delivery options. Being closer to you, costs will be reduced.

http://www.localharvest.org/

USDA also offers a link to find your local Farmers Markets. Here I would recommend to do the search by County. Once again, it helps to extend your search to close by places you had not even thought of.

http://apps.ams.usda.gov/FarmersMarkets/

Now, I mentioned a great resource local Organic Foods Coops. I have personally save about half of what I used to spend on my organic produce through a local coop. It entitles to take home whatever comes in your "coop share", but so far it has been a happy healthy option for my family. I have been splitting my share in 3 portions, among my Sister in law, my mother in law and myself, and we have all plenty of great produce for a whole week.

I found a few links that will help find coops near your home.

http://www.organicconsumers.org/foodcoops.htm

http://www.coopdirectory.org/directory.htm

Researching for coops, I found that Facebook has fantastic information and links to the actual coops! Don't you love technology. Sign up or Sign in on Facebook and just search Food Coops or Organic Food Coops and you will find a fun list of options. Hopefully one of the close to you.

Lastly, get involved with your community friends, they might know of important resources that you ignored, or may be you can start contacting near by Farmers that would deliver their products to a few families in your area for a delivery fee.

Once again, it just takes to take one step each day to offer our family a healthier life style! Try it! It is worth it!