Staggering Statistic: The Incredible Explosion of Farmers Markets

Sure, farmers markets aren’t anything new—after all, these local markets were the traditional method of food shopping before the advent of supermarkets in the 1920s.

In the era of pre-packaged dinners and processed cheese product, however, shopping for fresh produce at a farmers market has become more of a rare experience.

Recently, that’s all started to change as consumers become more aware of the origins of their food and more interested in organic, locally grown produce. The number of farmers markets in the U.S. increased from 3,706 in 2004 to 8,268 in 2014, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. That’s a huge change, and means that more people than ever before are able to find locally grown, seasonal produce that supports farmers in their community.