Ideas For Sourcing Food Locally

The term local  brings to mind the idea of things that surround us. It's used to indicate a general location; a reference to things and places nearby, like the local bank, the neighborhood store, etc. More and more often when folks talk about local  they're discussing an interest food grown, raised, and/or produced close to home. We hear slogans like, "Eat local, buy local." It's a call to source our foods from within our own communities whenever possible.

Freshly harvested apples from a regional farm. Photo by Amy Loves Yah

Doing this whenever possible means supporting local farms that practice good farming methods. It means putting money back into our own communities and reducing our carbon footprint by choosing local products rather than purchasing goods shipped from thousands of miles away. It's voting with our food dollars to invest in sustainable agriculture. And call me crazy, but I believe food grown with care, allowed to ripen naturally in the fields and on the vine, handled & transported conservatively, and consumed shortly after harvest offers superior flavor and nutrition.

If you want to buy more local foods but aren't sure how or you find yourself making monthly trips to a natural food store two hours away and yearn for closer access to fresh, healthy foods, here are a few ideas:

* Join a CSA (Community Support Agriculture programs). Many offer several pick-up locations to chose from in order to service members in surrounding areas. One CSA program near us offers pick-up locations in several different towns. Another CSA has an online forum for members so they can make arrangements with each other to alternate responsibility for picking up the shares. If there is not a CSA program in your town don't give up ~ contact those nearest to you and discuss the possibility of creating a pick-up center in your community.

* Talk to people in your community to learn about local growers and farmers. Which ones are willing to sell directly to consumers? Who is growing and raising which foods and where? Strike up conversations, build a relationship with the farmers in your area, and get your food directly from the source. Alternatively, you can search websites like Local Harvest and Pick Your Own to find farms that have already expressed interest in selling to the public.

* Take a fresh look at your own space. What edible treats might already be growing in your yard? We celebrate the arrival of spring each year by harvesting a bumper crop of freshly-grown dandelions. Yum, yum! You can decide to grow your own garden ~ stop mowing all that grass and turn your yardspace into foodspace. Not feeling the pull of a traditional garden? Try a different method ~ square-foot gardening and raised beds can make your experience easier and more rewarding. If you live in an apartment or have poor soil conditions in your yard consider trying your hand at container gardening. Tomatoes, lettuce, and herbs do great in containers, don't require investment in special tools, and are fairly inexpensive to maintain.

* Check if your town or city has public garden space available. Plots are usually affordable and located in spaces that easily accessible to residents (many abandoned lots, unused green space at parks, etc. are being converted to community gardens). This option is really handy if you want to grow a traditional garden but don't have space in your backyard.

* Shop at the farmer's market. Nearly every town in my area has one, most operate daily from May through October and occasionally on weekends during other months. If there isn't a farmer's market in your town then... why not? Perhaps you're just the person to get one started. You can also approach agencies in your area, such as the Chamber of Commerce, about starting a farm-to-table program.

* Barter with friends, family, and neighbors. Go in halves on a side of grass-fed beef with another family. Ask your friend if they would consider raising a few extra chickens if you cover the expenses and serve as their farm-hand when they're on vacation. Offer to help tend to your neighbor's garden (with their direction) in exchange for a portion of the harvest. Ask around, you may be surprised. We've been fortunate to have very generous friends who are willing to share their extras like veggies, eggs, honey, butcher roasts, and herbs ~ it's a fantastic experience to eat fresh food grown and raised with love by great people.

* Talk to the managers and staff at your local stores, especially those that are independent or part of smaller, regional chains. Encourage them to source their produce locally. Do a bit of research and provide them a list of suggested farms they can contact to get the ball rolling. Email or call the headquarters and let them know, too.  Ask your friends and family to do the same.