Editor’s Note: It has been such a pleasure to work with Emily, and like her friend and intern predecessor Brooke, we have really enjoyed watching her have new learning experiences and deepen her understanding of local foods and agriculture. While we feel it proves the value of our work, we also feel it shows how much more work there is to be done to educate everyday citizens of all ages and backgrounds!
I was sad that this past Saturday was my last farmer’s market as a Seacoast Eat Local intern. From attending 
every market this season, my love and appreciation for farmer’s markets was ignited. Having the opportunity to talk to the farmers about what they produce helped me get better insight about the farming process. My hometown does not have many farmer’s markets, so this was my first experience where I had the time to look around and fully appreciate what they have to offer. I didn’t realize the variety of goods sold that were available at farmer’s markets.
I never thought that there would be so much variety of local foods available at the markets. At our markets there are so many fresh foods available. There are homemade chocolates, cheese, yogurt, maple syrup, pastries, and mushrooms from local farms. You can also get a lot of fresh ready-to-eat meals like vegetable rice bowls, omelets, and breakfast sandwiches. At every market, I would get my lunch there knowing that I was eating a meal that was grown locally and with no added chemicals. I also love knowing that by purchasing food at the market I am in contributing to the farm so that they can continue making such delicious food.
I look forward to attending warmer markets this summer. My experience here at SEL has taught me a lot about the inner-working’s of putting on farmer’s markets. Now for every market I attend, I will not only have a greater appreciation of how much work it takes to run them but also an appreciation of the hard work that goes behind producing the food I buy!