Germany's Farmers' Markets: Linking People to Place and Agricultural Sentiment

In Germany, every city and town has its own weekly market, where market vendors or local farmers come to a specific market on a fixed day each week to sell their products.

These markets differ in various ways, not only in size but also in the products sold. Weekly markets sell agricultural products as well as a wide array of handicrafts. At farmers' markets, fresh ingredients are the basics, such as fruit, vegetables, herbs, fish, meat, and dairy and egg products.

Most farmers' markets are managed and planned by local authorities. In recent years, markets set up by private enterprises have also been increasing. These farmers' markets connect people's feelings for place and agriculture. With the vigorous development of organic farming, organic produce has also been increasing at farmers' markets, and some farmers' markets even sell only organic produce. For example, in Munich, the capital of Bavaria, the first "weekly market" was established in 1969, the first "farmers' market" in 1989, and the first "organic farmers' market" in 1996. The products at the organic farmers' market must all come from certified farms.

The features of farmers' markets are as follows:

• Fresh agricultural products straight from the farm
• More interaction between consumers and farmers
• Building long-term trusting relationships with consumers
• Customers can know where the food they eat comes from
• A lively, friendly atmosphere that highlights local ingredients

German consumers, in order to spend more money on other consumption and services, like to buy very cheap food, frozen foods and processed foods. The result of trying to save money on food is a change in consumption habits and shopping venues. Therefore, many cheap discount supermarkets in Germany thrive, and the business of many farmers' markets has been affected.

As food scandals have continued to occur in Germany in recent years, such as imported vegetables and fruit containing high pesticide residues, or this year's dioxin eggs that caused nationwide panic, and bean sprouts contaminated with E. coli. As people pay more and more attention to food safety issues, consumer demand for locally produced fresh agricultural products has gradually increased again. People have begun returning to farmers' markets to buy fresh agricultural products, and the frequency of cooking fresh food for themselves or their families has also increased.

The operators of these farmers' markets have seized on this healthy trend and strengthened public relations, holding various promotional activities, such as:

• Complete website information, including the times and locations of all markets and information on the types of products farmers sell
• Annual or seasonal promotions (such as asparagus season and strawberry season)
• Giving away farmers' market shopping bags and ballpoint pens printed with the farmers' market, market calendars or brochures
• Promoting on radio or in newspapers, and holding celebratory events
• Giving balloons printed with farmers' market designs to children
• Printing posters or flyers about farms and farming methods and distributing them to consumers
• Open-air bread and coffee carts
• Inviting local senior citizens' bands to perform
• Bringing animals to the farmers' market to create a joyful atmosphere

The colorful fresh vegetables, fruit and spices, honey, jam, cheese, sausages and local snacks at farmers' markets, these agricultural products with local characteristics, hold a special attraction for tourists. At such a time, why not enjoy a cup of open-air coffee with a slice of cheesecake, watch the crowds coming and going, and savor the natural, healthy charm of the farmers' market.

I interviewed some local consumers and asked them why they come to the farmers' market. The answers I got were truly varied. Some like the fresh vegetables, fruit and meat, some like to support local agricultural products, some like the lively atmosphere, some have been buying regularly for more than ten years and are used to it, and some live nearby and find it convenient to shop. But the answer that received the most agreement was: they like the feeling of face-to-face contact with farmers. It is clear that friendly contact between people is the greatest attraction that keeps farmers' markets bustling.

Video: "A Lively Large-Scale Farmers' Market Event"
Description: The video interviews consumers and farmers, and at the end asks a vendor to make a burger on the spot, emphasizing that all the ingredients come from local sources, and the consumer eats the burger very contentedly

A community-type farmers' market with only four stalls. This small market has been in existence since 1996 and sells only organic produce. Nearby is what Germans call a "premium" residential area, and therefore it has regular customers who come to shop.

These four stalls are respectively: a smallholder using biodynamic farming whose main products are vegetables and fruit (Demeter certified), a smallholder selling fresh meat and smoked meat (Naturland certified), a dairy farmer selling bread and various cheeses (general organic certification), and another even smaller poultry farmer selling chicken (Bioland certified). These smallholders overlap somewhat in dairy, eggs and meat, but the distinction in their main products is still very clear.

The basket holds the freshest seasonal vegetables and fruit, including locally produced eggs from biodynamic farming, local scallions, shallots, large onions, strawberries, fennel bulbs, carrots, and cherry tomatoes. The price of this basket of food is about NT$800. Although it is not cheap, it is healthy to eat and also supports local smallholders, so why not do it!

Elderflower in abundant seasonal production. Elder (Sambucus) is a very common plant in European woodlands and has certain benefits for maintaining good health; besides beautifying the complexion, it can also soothe the throat and reduce internal heat. In Germany, elderflower is often extracted into elderflower syrup. Its sweet, mellow taste is most commonly used by Germans to mix with water to drink, or made into jam to eat.

This clever farmer picked elderflowers produced in the woods and backyard, brought them to the farmers' market, dipped the elderflowers in batter and then put them in hot oil to fry, making fried elderflowers. He also sells elderflower syrup on the side.

The fragrant fried elderflowers sprinkled with powdered sugar are so good that even after eating two large pieces you still do not tire of them! These two pieces of fried elderflower cost about NT$100.