Where to get the goods, a new addition to the farm family, and .

One of the ways we shape the world we want to see is buy engaging in the economy. When you buy something, no matter where, you are casting a vote for the companies, services, products, and business models you want to see thrive in our world. And to do so, it’s important to know the options you have at hand. With food being foundational to our existence as living beings, our food sourcing options are critical to building our future.

You might be thinking “grocery stores and farmers markets; what more could there be?” Well, let’s get into it!

Albertsons, Walmart, Kroger, Whole Foods, Costco, and Target (even local favs like HEB, Meijer, Trader Joe’s, etc.). These are the big boys. Anything and everything you could ask for. Convenience right around the corner, and often great prices! Walmart is so ubiquitous, for example, that it’s estimated that 90% of Americans live within 10 miles from a Walmart or Sam’s Club. Now THAT is reach!

But with this kind of scale there is always a cost…

Despite whatever marketing most of these retailers put out there, most of their products come from large food producers that are in it for quantity over quality. Producers selling in these markets must, and I mean MUST, be moving a lot of product in order to justify the expenses and paperwork required to do business with big box retailers. That’s why you often see small artisanal products come and go; if they don’t reach a big enough customer base to support expansion, they can’t possibly keep this business line alive.

This isn’t to say scale in and of itself should be avoided, but you always have to consider what you are giving up by being in the business of BIG. Consideration for local sustainability, tender care of the land, and economics that compound community often just doesn’t make sense to prioritize here. And even when this scale is met, supermarkets are known to be slow and cautious, meaning any seasonal or economic downturns can greatly affect their product orders, which could be devastating for the farms supplying them.

While the only option we might have, we can at least check labels, ingredients, and (sometimes) farm sources in order to know what we’re really supporting. More on this next week… 👀

More grassroots than the conglomerate grocers, much more beneficial for the community, but still worth contemplating.

Depending on the grocer and the operators style, there could be a lot of benefits for both farmers and consumers. From a range of free marketing, community events, and specialized stock, there is a real opportunity here to make an impact on the sustainability of our food production.

But as with the supermarket business, macro-trends and simple business motives can really affect how these outlets work and where they get their goods from. This is why you also often still see brand name products for sale: sourcing small just might not be enough to keep the lights on. So when shopping here, it’s still best to check their shelves and sources.

A great option for community minded shoppers and suppliers! More focused with sourcing from local and regional producers, these businesses can really take care of their farmers, establish lasting relationships, and offer a level of corner convenience that is hard to match.

The ones that last really prosper and provide a lot of value to their communities, but with the relatively small size and large amount of competition it can be really difficult to keep these operations off the ground. Support a co-op when you can (and get a membership if you’re a frequent buyer!).

Growing in popularity amongst those trying to take their stride away from the big grocers, these fun events are not as perfect as one might think.

With all the local charm and rustic flare, farmers markets can be great for producers to build a brand presence and customer base, but they’re primarily forms of local entertainment and don’t make much of an impact on the sustainability of their operations.

Markets like these are often very costly to partake in with upfront membership fees and take rates on product sales. They are also more popular for small one-off artisan items, single produce pickups, and snacks than for an actual weekly haul. If you make it a conscious effort to shop solely on market days it can really help to build a relationship with your farmer and community, but a hardline take on that needs to be made to really make a difference.

If Amazon came to mind, it is the largest tool for both buyers and sellers to access the food markets online. But with it’s massive scale and varied business lines, local food accessibility isn’t the company’s biggest priority.

There are countless options to shop online, from mobile app delivery, farm branded websites, community subscription boxes, and, of course, marketplaces like Milk Market. This option is great for customer convenience and helpful for farmer overhead. Labor is minimized, inventory management is streamlined, and digital customization and media allow for personal branding and community outreach that is almost unmatched.

It’s always best to go as direct as possible when doing your grocery getting online. Get to know the farm you’re sourcing from and check out other pages and socials they might have where they share their stories, events, and opportunities to get as close to connecting as you can!

You might not realize it, but when eating out you could very well be directly supporting your local food producer!

While sometimes costlier, it’s worth the while to source local eateries that are farm-to-table or farmer-direct. Either explicitly stated online, in menus, or found out by asking outright, you can always see if your favorite spot is supporting local. And a plus: these places are often waaayyy tastier!

One of the best options if you have the car, the time, or the proximity to your friendly neighborhood farmer. This really gives you the ability to see the lay of the land, where things are coming from, how the animals and soil are treated, and so on. This is the epitome of going direct, but in our world of city dwelling, it isn’t always the easiest option for us to take advantage of (which is part of the reason we’re doing what we’re doing at Milk Market! 😉).

Originally from Europe, this model is a really interesting way of going direct. CSAs act as a sort of investment pool, where you can buy a “share” of produce, meat, whatever it is, and you get an equal portion of food based on the final production volume. These are often contractual and tie you to a pickup schedule and minimum purchase amount, but have the added benefit of being truly farmer-direct. CSAs also allow you to not pay sales tax as the arrangement isn’t considered a sale, but an ownership agreement.

The downside here is that, similar to on-farm sales, you often have to be willing to go out of your way to develop a physical relationship with your producer in order to make it work and make sure that they have the system in place to support it. But for those who can make it work, it’s a pretty sweet deal!

If you have a group of friends that love going splitsies on whatever you can, this is a great option for both you and your farmer!

This option is interesting as it allows rural farms to access the big city markets by simply having a group of people who have aligned delivery days and bulk orders. In this way, consumers can get farm fresh goods delivered to their doorsteps on set schedules, producers get direct payments and confirmed volume to justify delivery travel, and we all get a happier, healthier community.

The only issue here is that you have to gather a group of friends, family, and community members to partake that are within the same physical area, but if it can be built out, it is a fantastic way to go direct!

With so many food sources to choose from, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Based on where you live, the laws in your state, and the community you’re a part of, you might have one of or all of the above options available at your disposal.

A varied and educated approach goes a long way towards supporting our food security and sustainability. The more we know, the smarter we grow, and the better the choices we're able to sow.

Now get to grazing!

Get raw!

See you next week! Email us back if this newsletter inspired you to shake a farmer’s hand.

Hoping you are well fed,

rearchitecting the broken food system. freeing the food.