WEST COLUMBIA, S.C. — It's Thanksgiving week, and many meal staples are in high demand. As traditional stores work to keep shelves stocked, people are looking wherever they can to find savings, including the local farmer's market.
The hunt for Thanksgiving meal items is on as we get closer to Thursday. Before people sit around a dinner table they have to choose where to get their meal staples. Gerry Watson made his way to the State Farmers Market in West Columbia, to look for produce.
“I came out here for mountain apples because they have a great big supply of them and they have just been delicious,” Watson said. “This has a much better selection out here ... you can see how great everything looks, and they are really stocked and South Carolina farmers are still producing in the lower parts.”
Choosing between a chain grocery store and local growers was a priority for Harold Hill.
“Me and my wife are farmers and so we just like to keep it local and buy from other farmers and I know that the struggles they go through and buy it from them,” Hill said.
But there are reasons beyond supporting local businesses.
Bonita Clemons, founder of FarmaSIS, a local agriculture education group, said choosing locally grown produce and vegetables could be healthier for you.
“Because the closer your food is to you, the less it has travelled, the more nutrition it has retained,” Clemons said.
At the South Carolina Farmers Market, Aurora Valadez works with Munoz Farm and said business has been booming but get your favorites quick.
“Just try and get your greens as soon as possible because when they’re out, they’re out,” she said.
Other popular items for shoppers Valadez says were rutabagas.
If you need to do some last-minute shopping, the South Carolina Farmers Market is open on Wednesday from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m.