Hello everyone! I was excited to participate in the weekly challenge of the Asean Hive Community Challenge #156, which focuses on Local Markets. Last week, my sister and I visited the local market in Valencia to buy some fruit. It was an ordinary day, and after enjoying a cup of coffee, we decided to eat something healthy and pick up some fresh fruit at the local market.
Why choose the local market? The fruits are mostly sourced from nearby farms, ensuring they are harvested closer to their peak ripeness, resulting in better freshness and taste. Additionally, buying locally directly supports small farmers and their businesses.
As we walked towards the main road, I noticed various plants, including taro, eggplants, and some sweet potato leaves. There was also a papaya tree. My relatives didn't need to purchase more vegetables since plenty were growing in their backyard. However, some spices and additional vegetables can still be found at the local market if they do not have those kinds of products.
This papaya fruit is quite large. Add it to your chicken soup for extra flavor or make pickled green papaya.
I even saw a dead snake on my way to the market. If it were alive, I would probably run away. My sister was really scared and wanted me to throw the snake far away because it was placed right in the middle of the road on purpose.
Our relatives' house is conveniently located only 200 meters from the local market.
As we arrived at the barangay road, we noticed many mango trees lining the path. The water canal beside it had a strong current used to irrigate the rice fields. The numerous mango trees, adorned with beautiful blooming flowers, are expected to bear fruit in a month or two.
Look at those mango trees! When these flowers turn into fruit (ready to harvest), you can ask the owner to give you some mangoes. You can pick them easily since they are within reach. People here are very friendly,
We walked down the road for 200 meters to reach the market. After about 10 minutes, we arrived at the fruit stand. On the other side of this stand are local farmers who sell vegetables and spices, but we didn't go there because our main plan was just to buy some fruit.
Most of the fruit is grown locally on their farm. The prices are as follows: yellow bananas cost 80 pesos per kilo, watermelons cost 50 pesos per kilo, pomelos cost 70 pesos per kilo, avocados cost 60 pesos per kilo, and pineapples cost 50 pesos per kilo.
These mangoes are affordable at 70 per kilo and are sweet and delicious.
My sister is here to buy lemons, oranges, and apples. The vendor is charming, and they even replaced our pomelo because the quality was not good. We can also free to choose another pomelo.
They also sell apples, most of which come from China. Since these are sold in a local market, the prices are much cheaper than in a shopping mall supermarket.
I prefer to buy at the local market because this helps strengthen the community's economy and ensures the sustainability of local agriculture.
Depending on the supply of these products, local markets can sometimes offer better prices than supermarkets. Although supermarkets offer convenience and a wide range of fruits, the local markets provide fresher, tastier, and more seasonal options.
This is the end of my blog, and see you on the next one.
Lead Image edited thru CANVA EDU LIFETIME