Spring is just around the corner. When I think of the crisp, bright early mornings of spring, I think of Farmers Market! I live in a small town where hundreds of community members gather in our downtown plaza to enjoy fresh picked tomatoes, soaps made from farm fresh goat milk, and hats hand-sewn by our neighbors.

If you haven’t dove into the world of buying local, here’s 5 perks that can get you inspired to walk your town streets and invest in the small businesses around you!

1. Strengthens Local Economy and Environment

Buying locally not only puts your hard-earned dollar back into your local economy but also helps your local environment. How? Less transportation. According to Sustainable Connections, “[buying local] contributes less to sprawl, congestion, habitat loss, and pollution.”

Feeding your money back into your local economy is beneficial for the community as a whole because “each dollar you spend at independent businesses returns 3 times more money to your local economy than one spent at a chain,” explained by the American Independent Business License. Sounds like a benefit we all can bank on!

Feeling overwhelmed with all the economic lingo? Huffington Post has a great infographic that simplifies it al!

2. Invest in Your Community

Nothing feels quite like being a part of a community. And what a better community than the one you live in. There are reasons why you love living where you do and local businesses are people, like you, who chose this area to build and grow their business because they love it. If they’re supported, they are more likely to be invested in the communities future. What goes around comes around!

3. Creates Jobs and Opportunities

Local food supports local families. Giving your time and money towards people who are in your community helps build the bridge of jobs and opportunities.

Opportunities can range from something big like getting a job at a small business to something as small and cherishing as an interaction with a local farmer. Buying directly from a local farmer gives you a moment to learn about where your food came from, the land it was grown on, and insight into the seasons. It’s a beautifully unique relationship between eater and grower so why not embrace it!

4. Looks, Tastes, and Feels Better!

As I wander from booth to booth at the local Farmer's Market, I get so excited to taste the firmness of that tomato, smell the lavender in that soap made of goat milk, and touch the softness of that hand-woven hat. It’s a special feeling knowing that crops are picked at their peak, cheeses are hand-crafted for best flavor, and garments are custom made to the local style.

5. Builds Community Character

Locally-owned businesses are a key role in our community that chains are rarely able to do. When you pop open the local paper and see the “Best of” poll, there’s a local favorite showcased that makes you proud to say, “Hey, I’m from there” or “I remember when that place first opened when I was a kid.”

Those businesses define our sense of place, but we often forget their survival relies on our backing. Many local owners have invested much of their life savings in their businesses and genuinely have an interest in the community’s long-term health.

“Where we shop, where we eat and have fun — all of it makes our community home.”