Farmers' market
A market where farmers sell food and other products directly to consumers, often at recurring outdoor or indoor gatherings.
Community-supported agriculture: A system in which customers pay farms in advance for regular shares of their harvest. It offers another direct relationship between local farms and the people who buy their food.
Direct marketing: The sale of goods by producers directly to customers without conventional intermediaries. Farmers' markets are one form of direct marketing, alongside farm stands and subscription schemes.
Supermarket: A large self-service store selling a wide range of food and household goods. Supermarkets offer broad, year-round selection through centralized purchasing rather than local stalls.
Local food: Food produced and consumed within a geographically defined area, though definitions of local vary. Farmers' markets are a prominent outlet for food described as local.
Community garden: A shared space where people grow food and other plants, often in a town or city. Some markets give community growers a place to sell or share their harvests.
Seasonality: The pattern of availability or activity that changes with the seasons. Local harvest calendars shape which products appear at a market throughout the year.
Wholesale: The sale of goods in quantity, usually to retailers or other businesses for resale. Wholesale channels separate producers from final consumers, unlike direct market transactions.
Food security: Reliable access to enough safe, nutritious food for an active and healthy life. Markets can expand access to fresh foods, but affordability and location shape their reach.
Food hub: An organization or facility that aggregates, stores, and distributes food from multiple producers. Food hubs can help small farms reach markets beyond the scale of a weekly stall.
Food miles: The distance food travels from where it is produced to where it is consumed. Nearby sourcing can shorten transport distances, though market sales do not guarantee low food miles.