Farmers market season is up and running, and I couldn't be happier. It feels like Michigan is finally waking up from the long, cold winter and blossoming into the glorious green days of early summer.

I believe in the United States we've grown far too removed from the land. Supermarkets ship in mangos from Mexico in March and iceberg lettuce from California in December. We've gained convenience and endless variety, but in the process we've lost our connection to the food we eat.

Anyone who's tasted a tomato or zucchini straight from their backyard or a neighbor's garden knows that freshness tastes good. Part of the enjoyment is waiting for the fruits and veggies to reach their harvesting time.

For example, blueberry picking season is big in Michigan, and nothing beats gorging yourself with handfuls of fresh berries picked straight off the vine in the hot sun. For those of you who, like me, want to eat fresh blueberry pancakes in February, try picking extra this summer and freezing them. You'll be surprised at how good it feels - and tastes - to know that you worked for your food.

In Greater Lansing and across Michigan, as the soil thaws and the growing season kicks into high gear the local farmers are ready to start selling their first spring plants. Last week saw the opening of many area markets, with local farmers coming out to sell whatever they can grow this early in the summer.

The product was impressive, considering how short Michigan's growing season is. One stand at the Allen Street Market displayed two bushel baskets full of tall, sturdy asparagus that the farmer had cut the night before. At another stand, a farmer divided a giant trash can-sized bag of baby spinach leaves and mixed greens into smaller bags to sell. The spinach had been growing in a greenhouse since early spring, and it was still tender.

But you're not just limited to vegetables at the markets. One woman set out homemade loaves of bread still warm from her oven. A local apple orchard offered homegrown sausages and bratwursts. A man selling golden maple syrup from his thousands of backyard trees talked about how long it takes him to clean out his equipment every fall. An artist plays an electric guitar over loudspeakers.

Farmers markets and locally produced food offer many benefits that go far beyond simply eating crisp Michigan apples. Given the mess our state budget currently faces and the general disarray the entire Michigan economy is mired in, supporting the local economy is vital. I know the few dollars I can spare to purchase a handful of fruits and vegetables every week won't fix our $800 million budget deficit or lower unemployment rates, but I'd rather see my meager wages support my tireless neighbors than some faceless farm in California with thousands of acres of unripe machine-harvested goods.

In the United States, our food travels an average of 2,000 miles from farm to plate. Unavoidably most of the money we pay for food sold in the average supermarket goes toward packaging, shipping and gasoline costs, advertising and the store itself. I'm definitely not a revolutionary hippie-type, but it's nice to feel like I'm sticking it to the man just a little bit by avoiding that whole supply chain to get straight to the source.

And that's why this summer I'm only going to buy produce, honey, maple syrup and bread from local farmers and vendors.

I've advocated buying locally for a while now, and I decided it's time to really put my money where my mouth is. It sure won't be easy - I ate my last orange ceremonially the other day, and I'm also off of bananas and mangos for the summer. But you better believe I'm going to enjoy the first green pepper of the season. Don't even get me started on how great the late summer cherry tomatoes from my mother's garden are. I can't wait.

I realize large supermarkets offer unbeatable convenience and selection, and some people really aren't willing to give up eating bananas. That's fine; I love bananas too. I just ask everybody to check out a local market at least once this summer.

Meet the farmers, ask about their product. Find out how hard they have to work to grow the food we all depend on to live. It'll be hard to miss the pride each person takes in the product that cost him or her so many hours of labor.

Learn the taste of a ripe strawberry picked that morning, and really appreciate the flavor of a fresh tomato that you had to wait a month to get because it's just now in season. Support the local economy, enjoy the sun and have some delicious summer fun while you're doing it.

Liz Kersjes is a State News copy editor. Reach her at kersjese@msu.edu.