While Farmer’s Markets seem to be all the rage in Vancouver, most European cities have been operating them consistently since their very beginnings. And why not? Local food should be the cheapest, freshest, healthiest, and most sustainable food that money can buy, not something that only wealthy people can afford!

In a country like Serbia, where we value high-quality, tasty food, almost everyone opts to buy at the local pijaca (green market), rather than from the grocery store. Of course, even food bought in stores is as local as can be – coming from within the Balkans – and sellers will attest that they know the producers personally.

I had the chance to dive a bit deeper into Serbia’s local food system, as many of my relatives are farmers in the Sumadija and Vojvodina regions of Serbia. Here, I experienced authentic Serbian homesteading – everything from milking cows and making cheese, to putting meat up to dry, to making my own jams and preserves. I also learned about the many challenges that farmers in Serbia face, and the difficulty of raising a family on a very small income when working in a declining industry.

Alas, Serbia too is undergoing significant commercialization, especially in the food industry. Since food prices are already so cheap, it is hard for small producers to compete in terms of price with larger firms, and supermarket chains are indeed gaining ground. Perhaps there is a greater future in organic farming and permaculture in Serbia, as currently, little thought is given about spraying crops with pesticides and herbicides (something that my family members strictly avoid).

I truly enjoyed the thought of eating locally while being in Serbia, and being able to get to know the people from whom I was getting my food. I hope that in Canada, this kind of connection between farm to table will become more normalized, so that local food is made less expensive – and therefore more accessible – for all.