The average piece of produce in the U.S. travels 1,500 miles, while local food may only travel 100 miles (or less), according to researcher Rich Pirog at the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture at Iowa State University. Locavores are people who try to choose locally grown or locally produced food that is in season. Less travel: Local food travels much less distance to market than typical fresh or processed grocery … What is Sulforaphane — And Why Is It so Good for You? We want to hear from you in the comments below! Eating in local places supports local businesses and the local economy, and it also builds connections between the local people and travellers. Local food helps preserve green space. Local foods tend to create a greater variety of foods. If you’re in the United States, you can get information on CSAs programs and help finding one near you by clicking here. Local food can be a big win for you, the planet, and your community. It’s fresher and cooked properly, whereas chances of getting food poison if you order something “foreign” (like a steak in India ) rise to 99%. And food picked fresh and in season doesn’t have far to travel before being sold. If you purchase products from one of these partners, FRN may at times receive a portion of the proceeds. Many people like to purchase food locally by starting within their own community, then moving out to the region, province, country and so on. Customers can purchase a share of the store. While it’s hard to know exactly how many CSAs there are, the USDA’s last official estimate was that there were 12,549 farms participating in the program in the United States alone. Field crop farms, which include wheat, barley, corn, oats, rye, canola, flaxseed, soybeans and other specialty crops represent 40% of the farms in Canada. Local food has a shorter time between harvest and your table, and it … Food is one of the leading drivers of climate change. Have you wondered why it’s important to buy local food? Farmers markets have been around for thousands of years. Information and resources shared by FRN are for informational purposes only and are not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any type of disease or condition. So you may want to do further research online and offline. Berries, in particular blueberries and cranberries, are becoming more popular all the time. You can also ask your local grocery store to carry more fresh, local, organic produce and other foods from local vendors. Very strict regulations regarding additives, pesticides, herbicides, etc. In France alone, an estimated 320,000 people enjoy food from CSAs. Annual fruit consumption in Canada rose to 47.5 kg per person in 2008, a record high. The concept of a CSA began in Japan in the mid-1960s and 1970s, in response to consumer concern about the increasing use of pesticides in industrial farming. ), Healthy Starters and Appetizers for All Occasions. By eating with the seasons, we are eating foods when they are at their most flavoursome, are the most abundant, and the least expensive. Practicing Gratitude on Thanksgiving is a Powerful Action for Health & Happiness, All About Raw Foods + 7 Raw Food Recipes & No-Cook Meals, 7 Plant-Based Dinner Recipes That are Easy Enough for Beginners. At any food store, you can look for labels and signs that indicate locally grown and produced foods. Here are some surprising, and not-so-surprising, benefits: Depending on your area and the time of year, farmer’s markets may offer everything from fresh produce and flowers to freshly baked bread, as well as fresh-pressed juices and even specialty items like homemade cashew-based gelato. There’s no formal definition of the term local food. Since then, different farms and communities have tailored the same model to their own needs and preferences. Healthy, ethical, sustainable food for all. Dr. Harry Watkins, PLNU professor of sustainability, defines local eating this way: “To eat local would be to live off your means, not at the expense of others.” However eating locally is interpreted, one thing is clear—local food, home gardens, and community-supported agriculture have recently exploded in interest and popularity. Buying locally grown food allows us to know more of its story. At some farms, members get to choose what kinds of produce they want in their share each week, while other farms let the week’s harvest dictate what will be included. You will receive up to one SMS message per week containing important updates. By supporting local farmers today, you are helping to ensure that there will be farms in your community tomorrow. Discover why it’s important to buy local food, the health benefits of eating locally grown produce, and why choosing local food benefits the environment. The consumption of vegetables such as asparagus, eggplants, kohlrabi and sweet potatoes are slowly but steadily increasing on the menu. But they’re not the only reasons. It’s good for the environment. If you can, talk to your farmers at your local market and ask them what (if any) pesticides they use. We might be biased, but we think eating local just tastes better. In some cases, food produced farther away may be more sustainable if it’s grown more responsibly, if it carries a smaller ecological footprint, or if it’s in season. Its vitamin and mineral content depends on the practices of people all along the line, from the seed to the table, whether or not produce is local or transported from a distance. And you can ask which foods are local. Typically, a CSA-participating farm will offer a certain number of “shares” to the public. The more consumers continue to shop at local markets, the more these local farmers will thrive and grow.

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