Incentive for shoppers to buy fresh and local at farmer’s markets

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Buy fresh, buy local. It’s what farmer’s markets are all about and they are abundant across the metro.

If you’ve been putting off going, you might want to make a point to get up early Saturday August 10th. Chipotle is helping to promote the buy local attitude by handing out ten dollar tokens at nine area markets.

Chipotle plans to shell out $25,000 in free market money. Two hundred and fifty tokens are allotted for each market site.

The promotion is welcome news to Justin Hughes, an Overland Park farmer’s market vendor. Tomatoes, peaches, watermelon, sweet corn, peppers, onions and much more can be found on his table. Hughes says customers love the freshness and finding out where the food came from.

“You get to meet the people that are growing you stuff and you can ask them questions, where as at the grocery store, most of the time you don’t get that, out of a box, but up there hey, how was this grown, you get that person feel to it.” explained Hughes.

Becky Poland owns Rebecca’s Flowers in Kansas City, Kansas. Don’t let the name fool you, her booth at the Overland Park farmer’s market is packed with more.

She’s excited Chipotle is donating money to customers for the second year in a row.

“It’s an awesome way to get people to market and try some homegrown, fresh stuff. I hope they all become repeat customers.” Said Poland.

Here is a list of the participating farmers markets:

• Overland Park Farmers Market 7950 Marty 6:30 am
• Brookside Farmers Market 6321 Wornall – 8am
• City Market 20 E. 5th St. 6am
• Independence Farmers Market Independence Square 5am
• Lee’s Summit Farmers Market 2nd St. & Douglas 7am
• KC Organics & Naturals Market Minor Park 8am
• Lawrence Farmers Market 824 New Hampshire 7am
• Liberty Farmers Market 111 N. Water St. 7:30am
• Olathe Farmers Market 200 W. Santa Fe