Local Foods
What is the local food movement?
The local food movement is a group of people that are committed to buying food more locally, for the reason of having a more sustainable lifestyle. Some of the benefits of that would be that the food is not brought in from very far away, and so you cut down on the water and air pollution and other energy costs associated with that.
What types of food are parts of the local food movement?
You can get all sorts of food locally. You can check with different farmers' markets. Some farmers' markets have produce and vegetables, bread. Some other ones may have meat, cheeses, nuts, other baked goods, so there is just a variety of things you can get locally.
Is local food the same as organic food?
Local food is not the same as organic food. Some local food is organic. What you can do if you're at local farmer's markets, one of that advantages is you get to speak with the farmer and find out their farming practices. Another thing to consider is, if you're buying something organic from, say, New Zealand, then there's a lot of pollution involved with transporting that, so you have to weigh that against the benefits of buying locally grown food that may use some pesticides.
Is local food free from pesticides?
Local food is not necessarily free from pesticides. Smaller farms are able to be more diverse though, so there is less of a need for harmful chemicals.
Why is it important to support my local economy?
Supporting your local economy is important for keeping choice and options available for shopping. Also, it's a good way to know better how your food is produced and to have a relationship with farmers and retailers. Another benefit is that you don't have the cause of pollution associated with food travelling from far parts of the world. Another benefit of buying locally is that you're more in touch with seasonal food and it just helps to get you connected with the different seasons and how the whole cycle works.
How can I find out where to buy local food?
The US Department of Agriculture has a website which lists farmers' markets. You can also contact your city to find out where their farmers' markets are. There's also different programs through CSAs or community supported agriculture where you can buy boxes of food. There's other things online that will allow you to buy food from local farmers that can come to you and be delivered monthly, so look into different options about what's available near you.
What challenges face the local food movement?
Some of the challenges of the local food movement is that they are dependent on the seasons, so you can't get some of the stuff that you may be able to get through importing. Another challenge is that they're competing against very large farms that can provide larger quantities that may be of lesser quality, but that are cheaper.
