I picked up a 2015 Local Food Guide at the rec center where I do Zumba. It’s a great booklet celebrating and featuring all the local farms, ocean harvesters, artisan foods, markets and restaurants. On the back cover, they gave these 10 reasons to buy locally grown. I had to share them. These reasons work for your area as well.
1. LOCALLY GROWN TASTES AND LOOKS BETTER. The products are usually picked at their peak and sold within 24 hours (as opposed to imported from afar and transported in trucks or planes and stored first in warehouses)
2. LOCAL FOOD SUPPORTS LOCAL FAMILIES. That’s great. Some of them may even be your neighbors or someone you know.
3. LOCAL FOOD BUILDS TRUST. There’s not a question of food safety when you can look your farmer in the eye and see his or her products.
4. LOCAL FOOD BUILDS COMMUNITY. I know this one from my parents who were local retailers. Getting to know the folks who grow your food is important. You might be surprised who the farmers are. I would suggest even a trip to the farm to see how the food is grown. You’ll never look at a zucchini the same way again.
5. LOCAL FOOD PRESERVES OPEN SPACE. We need the air and the green. We have plenty of city space.
6. LOCAL FOOD KEEPS TAXES DOWN. According to this Buy Fresh Buy Local Cape Cod guide (bfblcc@barnstablecounty.org) several studies show farms contribute more in taxes than they require in services (the opposite of residential developments).
7. LOCAL FOOD BENEFITS THE ENVIRONMENT AND WILDLIFE. Imagine a patchwork of farms with fields, meadows, woods, streams and ponds. That’s priceless for the wildlife and our eco system.
8. LOCAL FOOD MAKES A LIGHTER CARBON FOOTPRINT. We’ve heard a lot about that. The average non local food travels about 1500 miles from farm to plate.
9. LOCAL FOOD PRESERVES GENETIC DIVERSITY. Remember the actual taste of a tomato and smell of a rose? Industrial agriculture is bred for uniformity and to survive harvesting and transport. I want taste and flavor and good nutrition.
10. LOCAL FOOD IS AN INVESTMENT IN YOUR COMMUNITY’S FUTURE. Yep, buying local supports, preserves and strengthens the character of the community for the next generation of farmers. And for us.
This is great!! I have been a vegetarian for over 20 years now and I command you for going vegan. I have this book called vegan express by Nava Atlas and she has some great recipes especially her vegan chocolate cake. AS you also know, I make chocolate for a living (almost) and most of my creations (not all) are vegan. Using dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate and coconut cream instead of whipped cream. Checkout facebook.com/rchocolatier
Can’t wait to read your blog
I love Nava Atlas.My brother-in-law, Keith, gave me one of her books. She’s an authoritative vegan chef. And I can’t wait to taste some of your chocolate!
you know, these are all great reminders and something that we have to slow down to contemplate. I appreciate that you are reinforcing these important truths and spreading them….trying not to feel guilty about often buying stuff non-locally! Had a great experience this summer: one of my friends walks a local dog for a farmer and gets some produce in return. She then gives ME the beautiful tomatoes etc and I turn around and cook us some yummy stuff. One hand washing the other…..
Great to stumble across your blog here, via Facebook! We’re on the same path – I’ve been mostly vegetarian for 42 years, but it was this Summer, first week of June, that I set out upon a truly vegan, plant-based diet. I too feel so much better not being part of the cruelty to animals by treating them like food, and disrespecting their right to a full life. I also had a lipid test done after 3 months of plant-based eating, as well as dramatically reduced sugar intake, and my overall number is down to 154 – hooray! This feels so right.