Growing dissatisfaction with the globalized food system, articulated on the behalf of both producers and consumers, has become increasingly visible in society over the last two decades. During this same time, farmers' markets (FMs) and other forms of direct marketing have experienced a noteworthy increase in participants, indicating an emerging demand for an alternative to conventional food networks. This study examines who is participating in these alternative forms of food production, sale and consumption and their motivations for doing so. The study is framed within the context of first world political ecology and moral economy. While previous research has examined the motivations of consumers and producers separately, little research has been done that explores the motivations of both actors in a comparative perspective. This mixed methods study consists of 377 consumer surveys and 17 producer surveys and semi-structured interviews from five FMs chosen to reflect the rural-urban gradient of the state of Delaware. The results suggest that the motivations between producers and consumers are indicative of a sense of moral economy, reflecting a harmonious, reciprocal relationship between producers' desire to promote and sell their product and consumers' desire to support these "local" producers in exchange for fresh, quality products.
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