Farmers markets ready for prime time
This is an excerpt — pick up Wednesday’s Butler Eagle to read the full article.A homegrown peach is sweeter than any other.“People get to really get away from the so-called ‘industrial agriculture’ and grocery store mentality and see and taste stuff when it’s actually produced and picked when it should be and not for shipping,” said Aaron Sturges, owner of Sturges Orchards on Route 288 in Franklin Township.Numerous Butler County farmers’ markets have opened for the season to offer fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, cheeses and baked goods throughout summer and fall.Food lovers can find real flavor at farmers’ markets, Sturges said.A peach picked off the tree when it ripens tastes differently than an in-store peach, he said, adding he focuses on unique varieties of produce for flavor versus shippability.As a farmer, Sturges grows directly for the consumer, he said.The interaction at a farmers’ market develops the relationship between producer and consumer, he said.“You’re looking in the eye of who’s going to eat the produce, and they’re looking at the guy who grew the tree and apples,” he said. “It adds a different dimension to enjoy.”
