Where do your apples come from? How do they get from a tree into your belly? In the spirit of New Year's resolutions, new beginnings, and my continued effort to be both an environmentalist and human, I have taken on farmer's markets every Sunday since September.

I drag my 22-year-old self out of bed before 9AM to make it to the greenmarket in my neighborhood before I walk to a yoga class so I can drop off my compost and pick up fruits, vegetables, and eggs. That is a pretty picture many people do not have the luxury or privilege of experiencing. Many people do not have the option to pick between fancy supermarkets, grocery stores, and farmer's or green markets, but I am fortunate, and can take the time and spend the money on my choice.

While patting myself on the back for the do-good attitude I have and action I take, it occurred to me how little I actually know about the vendors at the market I frequent. Growing up in supermarkets and grocery stores, taught me not to ask or consider what I was buying and just to take.

I didn't know if I had any reason to be proud of my early-bird self because I didn't know the requirements of the market or the vendors. The whole point of buying at the market was to be sustainable and ensure the food I was bringing to my kitchen was locally grown, GMO-free, pesticide-free, and from farmers that were transparent about their production, cradle to grave. Are farmer's markets truly better than supermarkets? Or are they another way we can feel good about ourselves and the environment while we continue to be ineffective?

My first stop at the market is the composting section so I started by reading up on compost in my home of New York City. I smiled to myself when I read the words, "make landscape, not landfill" on the GrowNYC (hands-on environmental non-profit) website. The beauty in composting is how food turns into soil which allows produce to grow again. It's a true life cycle.

Along with composting, markets have textile recycling. Recycling clothing that can be worn by others or used in fiber products are ways other clothing can get new life. Greenmarkets are more than just places for shopping, they are also places to give back. Even the skeptic in me wants to believe they are doing what they say -- using the compost to make soil and use for urban farming and gardening projects and using the recycled materials to give to others.

Producers at the market are expected to meet specific requirements from the land they use to their facilities to product integrity. The clearest requirement is what they mean by farmers in the region -- "defined by a circle, extending 120 miles to the south, 170 miles east and west, and 250 miles north of New York City."

As I hoped and expected, products must not be genetically modified, irradiated, or cloned (explains why they never have bananas!). They cannot contain artificial transfat. If plastic packaging is involved, there must be an explanation or vendors must use other packaging. Even baked goods have to come from the farm unless they are organic-certified and certain ingredients must be outsourced.

The perks of shopping at a Greenmarket are plentiful. The middleman of a grocery store is eliminated and you can interact with vendors and producers. I go to a specific vendor for my eggs (Knoll Krest Farm), mushrooms (John D. Madura Farms), and pickles (Divine Brine). If you know the questions to ask, you can get immediate answers from vendors about the food you bring home.

I don't think one could say the same for supermarkets when it comes to the depth of knowledge and understanding on products -- there would be too many to note! In contrast to supermarkets, I am especially pleased with how the ingredients are clear on baked goods and I can say that I know all the ingredients. One of the more notable markets in Manhattan, the Union Square Greenmarket, even has an app that gives information about the vendors and what is available.

While it reassured me to see the requirements of the markets and to feel informed about the work vendors and GrowNYC does, I still find myself grappling with many questions and ideas for improvement. I wonder about how closely monitored farms and vendors are to ensure they comply with the preexisting requirements.

In terms of refinement, there are so many foods that farmer's markets simply can't sell that people have gotten used to having all year round. Many people do not know that certain foods are meant for specific seasons and climates -- could there be a way to not only have classes, but make farmer's markets education tools?

For example, having docents available to give tours and information about vendors. I would also be interested in a variety of bags for produce because I notice that plastic bags are still used to collect produce. If vendors have requirements and standards, shouldn't consumers? While there is always room for improvement, I am glad and proud to say that the Greenmarkets of New York City, are a step in the sustainable direction.

As a consumer, I feel empowered to ask questions, and I have no excuse to proceed blindly as a consumer without knowing what I am putting into my body. I also appreciate how accessible the markets are. They are found all over the country and add to communities.

Now that I know what I am going to purchase, it takes me ten minutes to get the produce I want and continue with my day. It is comforting to see familiar faces and consistently fresh produce. I will continue to bring my bag of compost, reusable grocery bags, and list of questions with me each and every Sunday.

Now, who wants to go to the market?