A shared experience of conscious living at Delhi’s farmers’ markets

"I like to know where my food is coming from,” says Gurgaon-based chef Arushi Hasija, who makes sure to leave her comforting warm blanket every second weekend to visit a farmers’ market and enjoy shopping under the winter sun.
Beaming with vibrant colours of nature, with hundreds of eco-conscious people flocking in, NCR’s farmers’ markets are a place for visitors to source clean food, meet like-minded people and small business owners and enjoy healthier alternatives to weekend breakfast regulars.

‘A community of those who believe in the power of clean food’
Whether it’s the features like BYOB (bring your own bag), use of compostable disposables or carrying your cutlery and cups and the emphasis on millet consumption and value-added food and beverages, a day at a farmers’ market is an immersive slice of a sustainable lifestyle.
"The beauty of the farmers’ market at Sunder Nursery lies in the stories behind each vendor, their connection to the land and the shared experience of
conscious living," shares Rohan Aggarwal, co-coordinator of The Bazaar, held every Sunday at Sunder Nursery.

Shubha Pal Bahl, a farmer, who has been running a stall for four years, adds, “While some visitors at Gurgaon Organic Farmers’ Market engage in lively conversations with farmers, exploring the world of clean organic food, others simply enjoy refreshing drinks like ginger ale, chhaach, sugarcane juice or a cup of hot sugarcane chai. The visitors and vendors are all like a family of those who believe in the power of clean food. Regular customers drop by every weekend to take home fruits, vegetables and staples for the week. Some take home cooked breakfasts, made with organic ingredients. No one is in a hurry to finish shopping and run back home.”

Organic farmers’ markets are vibrant and fun spaces for anyone to begin their sustainability journey. Being a chef, I love cooking with fresh, seasonal produce. It’s reassuring to buy food that is grown without chemicals. It is a great place to meet small business owners, who are making jams, fresh cheeses and more

Arushi Hasija, a chef

‘At farmers’ markets, both children and adults engage actively’
Delhi-based Pia Sukanya has been taking her five-year-old to Sunder Nursery since he was just a month old. She says, “Apart from Delhi's unavoidable environmental challenges, we managed to direct every aspect of our lives towards sustainability. I want to use my purchasing power to choose organic because it’s good for my body and it’s good for the environment. We do 95% of our shopping from the farmers’ market.”


Srishti Saini, who started buying groceries and healthy snacks from farmers’ markets recently, says, “I admire how people today value organic products and support homegrown brands. What stands out the most for me is watching children being actively engaged, appreciating the importance of these choices.”



Jaya Mishra, a farmer and founder of Desi Utpad, who has been setting up her organic produce stall at Sunder Nursery for eight years, says, “Buying directly from farmers is a practice that Delhittes have been embracing even more since the pandemic. People must visit these markets and find their family farmer, just like they have a family doctor.”