By Sharon Ginsburg

October is the last month of the farmer’s market season where locally grown fruits, vegetables, meats, eggs, honey and even homemade breads are for sale. Some farmer’s markets have craft vendors too so you never know what useful handmade, not just food, items you may find for sale, perhaps a gift for yourself or for someone on your Christmas list. So, stop pulling weeds, take a break and go out to your local market. There will be less vendors in October, but there is still plenty of ripe tasty garden produce including vegetables that store well for winter like butternut and acorn squash, potatoes, garlic, and onions plus some frost sensitives like tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, greens, zucchini and patty pan summer squashes because many of the vendors have greenhouses. Some markets also have musicians performing and craft activities for children. The most amazing thing is that many things taste so much more flavorful when picked ripe ready to eat rather than shipped to WV from California or South America. This makes me wonder if the tomatoes at the grocery stores are plastic or cardboard spraypainted red or if the celery is just light green crunchy Styrofoam.

 The West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine’s Center for Rural Community Health (WVSOM CRCH) through the Greenbrier County Health Alliance provides grant money for lower income seniors to receive coupons to use just like cash at the Alderson farmer’s market. There are Healthy Senior Market Basket coupons for baked goods like breads and local honey or syrups. Plus, Senior Savings coupons for meats and eggs. Inquire early in the season next year at the manager’s table at the Alderson farmer’s market where you will be spending them. The Alderson market even has Carrot Club coupons in the summer for children to get fruits and vegetables, a brilliant idea for training children to eat real food! Also, by early summer, check at your county’s Committee on Aging for WV Dept. of Agriculture coupons usable at all the farmer’s markets with approved vendors for fresh vegetables, fruits and honey. All these coupons add up to a ton of produce at no cost to us older citizens from local growers and lots of delicious, nutritious healthy eating! These programs are all about the fact that what you eat greatly affects your health, wellbeing, body weight, longevity and basic wellness. This is better than feeling sluggish and dull mentally from all those processed, chemically laden, sugared and salted up items labeled as food at stores. Take the time to cook real food, eat well and stay vital. Call your local town hall or check Facebook pages or Hashtag calendar to confirm the day of the week, time and location of the markets which are generally located on the main street in a town near you.