It's Saturday morning and the farmer's market in Seattle Washington, is already busy with shoppers looking for locally grown fresh fruit and vegetables as well as locally produced eggs, cheese, and bread. "I'm here because I want to support local farmers, and I feel that I'm buying real food that has a connection to the place I live in, says Liz Minty. "It's also just nice to meet the farmers and producers- you get a real sense of community" Markets like this are becoming increasingly popular in towns and cities across America as consumers move away from food produced and packaged by large multinational companies. "Fresh foodin supermarkets is rarely fresh, and growers. "It's usually been packed and refrigerated several days or weeks before it reaches the store. It often uses additives to extend shelf life and also consumes more energy as it is transported over long distances. Shop Small" is an initiative that helps to promote local businesses. "Small Business Saturday" now follows the Thanksgiving holiday and is intended to encourage shoppers to avoid large stores, and instead do their shopping at small independent stores. "It helps to boost our business at the start of the holiday season," says Anne Marshall of Newport, Rhode Island. "The Shop Small campaign definitely generates more interest in shopping locally.