When producers and consumers interact, a connection is formed that helps create a dependent, trustworthy relationship where the consumer relies on the farmer to provide them with healthy, nutritious foods as well as helping them to understand agricultural processes. Developing relationships with growers connects us to the food we eat and to the land where it was produced.

While foraging for fresh fruits and veggies at the local farmers’ markets or at a local farm gate, conversations can occur with other consumers who purchase locally. These interactions help to create a network of relationships that generate a local food community composed of farmers’, processors, retailers and consumers.