Why Eat Local Produce?
By supporting your local farmers, you’re supporting the local economy, meaning the money you
spend is going directly to the person who put in the work. By becoming a locavore (a person whose diet consists mostly of locally grown or produced food), you’re guaranteed fresh farm-to-table food. Local produce is good for the people around you and even better for the environment
since the produce isn’t being shipped from all over the world, consequently reducing your carbon footprint! You’re guaranteed good quality and better-tasting produce that costs the same (sometimes even less) than conventional farming.
Get to Know Your Local Farmer
Don’t be shy – step up and get to know your farmer! Most farm stand managers will gladly answer any questions you may have. You’ll get to know more about the origin of your food! Here are some questions to start the conversation:
• Where is your farm?
• How do you decide which products to grow?
• Do you grow all the products you sell?
• How do you handle weeds and pests? Do you use pesticides?
• Are your cows grass-fed? Are your chickens’ pasture-raised?
Community-Supported Agriculture
For those of you who live in the US or Canada, you can also join a CSA, which stands for
Community-Supported Agriculture. CSA’s are a wonderful way to support your local farmers and
get access to local, in-season produce at a more affordable price than your local grocery store,
as you’re buying directly from the producer. Many people share their CSA with one other person or another family, as sometimes you may get more produce than you’re able to go through in 1-2 weeks.
To join a CSA, you can visit Local Harvest and find a farm near you. Each farm will have different
specialties ranging from fruits and veggies, to eggs, dairy, and meat. Once you find the right CSA
for your needs, you can purchase your membership - either for one season or all seasons - and you will begin receiving either weekly or bi-weekly boxes of in-season produce.
Find Your Market
Beyond the Produce
Flowers and Plants
Brighten up your space with a little bit of nature to create happiness in your home. Pick up a bouquet of lavender and keep it in your bedroom to promote relaxation.
Eat raw local honey to soothe allergies.
Pickles
Pick up some lacto-fermented pickles or sauerkraut to help aid a healthy microbiome.
Ask the vendor how to prepare their freshest catch if you’ve never cooked it before.
Choose grass-fed beef, which has a higher concentration of omega-3 fatty acids than
corn-fed beef.
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