Beijing Farmers' Market was formed in 2010 by a group of international and local artists based in Beijing. Their interest was to educate consumers on the environmental impact of food consumption and how to buy locally and responsibly. Since then, the market has grown to include as many as 30 regular vendors, of which, the majority are based in neighboring counties outside the city. Each meet the Farmers’ Market standards, which align with organic principles such as farmers who don’t use chemical fertilizers, pesticides, genetically modified seeds, and who treat animals humanely.

Interestingly, the Farmers’ Market is transparent that many of its vendors have not undergone organic certification. Besides the lack of public trust in domestic standards, organizer Tian Le says that the process of getting certified can cost RMB 10,000-20,000 for a single crop, which is out of reach for small producers. Instead, she says, staff members have personally visited each farm to ensure good farming practices.

The small stalls manage to pack in a diverse mix of produce and products. Average costs – vegetables range between RMB 20-30/kilo, fruits range between RMB 20-40/kilo, meats range between RMB 60-200/kilo.

We were tempted by pots of wild rose jams (RMB 40/jar), oat rice (RMB 50/pack), dried shitake mushrooms (RMB 45/pack), homemade honey (RMB 40-50/jar), and French-style cheeses from local cheese maker Le Fromager de Pekin.

Source: thatsmags.com