The Questions I Wish You’d Ask Me at the Farmers Market

Most people walk up to a farmers market booth trying to make a good decision.

You can see it.

They look at the table, glance at the prices, pick something up, put it back down, and then usually ask the same question:

“Is it organic?”

I understand why.

It feels like a shortcut. A way to quickly figure out if something is “better.”

But if I’m being honest, it’s not the question that tells you the most about your food.

There are better questions. Questions that actually help you understand what you’re buying and how it’s going to show up in your kitchen.

Here are the ones I wish more people would ask.

1. How are the chickens raised?

Not in a marketing sense. In a real, day-to-day sense.

Are they outside? Do they move? What does their environment look like?

That tells you more than a label ever will.

2. What do they eat?

This one matters.

Our chickens get freshly milled feed that I pick up locally from Fehner and Son Grain Company, along with grass, bugs, and whatever they naturally forage.

That combination affects everything from flavor to how the meat cooks.

3. How is it processed?

Most people never ask this, but it’s one of the biggest differences.

Water-chilled vs air-chilled changes texture, moisture, and how your chicken behaves in a pan.

If you’ve ever had chicken that won’t brown or turns rubbery, this is part of the reason.

4. How fresh is it really?

Not just the date on the package.

When was it processed? How long has it been stored? How much time do you actually have to use it?

That changes how you plan your week.

5. What do you cook at home?

This is one of my favorites.

Because it shifts the conversation from theory to reality.

If I’m feeding my own family with it, I’m going to tell you exactly how I use it, what works, and what doesn’t.

6. What cut should I buy if I don’t want to think too hard?

Not everyone wants to experiment.

Some people just want dinner to be easy.

There is always a right answer to this based on how you cook and how much time you have.

7. What do your repeat customers buy?

This one gives you a shortcut.

If people keep coming back for the same thing, there’s a reason.

It usually means it fits into real life without a lot of extra effort.

8. What’s something people overlook?

Every booth has this.

A cut or product that gets passed by, even though it’s actually one of the most useful.

Those are often the best places to start if you’re trying to get more value out of what you buy.

9. How should I store this?

Simple question, but it matters.

How long will it last? Should you freeze it now or later? What’s the best way to handle it once you get home?

Small details that make a big difference.

10. What would you buy if you were me?

This is the one that pulls everything together.

It gives context.

Budget, family size, how often you cook, how much time you have.

That’s when I can actually help you build something that works, not just sell you something.

What This Comes Down To

Most people are trying to make better choices for their family, they just don’t always have the right questions to get there.

When you ask about how food is raised, how it’s handled, and how to use it, you walk away with something that actually fits your life… not just something that checks a box.