With the smell of coffee and fresh bread floating in the air, stalls bursting with colourful vegetables and tempting cheeses, and the buzz of friendly chats, farmers’ markets are a feast for the senses. They also provide an opportunity to talk to the people responsible for growing or raising your food, support your local economy and pick up fresh seasonal produce—all at the same time.

Farmers’ markets are usually weekly or monthly events, most often with outdoor stalls, which allow farmers or producers to sell their food directly to customers. The size or regularity of markets can vary from season to season, depending on the area’s agricultural calendar, and you’re likely to find different produce on sale at different times of the year. By cutting out the middlemen, the farmers secure more profit for their produce. Shoppers also benefit from seeing exactly where—and to who—their money is going.