What is a locavore you ask? A locavore is someone who attempts to fulfill their nutritional needs by buying food that is produced in their local area. Some locavores try to eat products grown within 100 miles of their homes. Some are more informal in their attempts to eat local (I’m one of those). At any rate, here are my top ten reasons for eating locally:
1. Local food tastes better. Actually, for me, that would be enough in and of itself!
2. It’s safer. Every time I read another article about salmonella outbreaks or e coli, I become recommitted to knowing who exactly produces the food I put in my body.
3. It helps the local economy. Money spent on local foods and artisans stays in the community.
4. It’s better for the environment. Locally produced products don’t need to be shipped via trucks that pollute the air and use valuable fossil fuels (sorry long haul truckers, but it’s true!) Industrial farming puts large amounts of pesticides and herbicides in the soil and in our watersheds.
5. You help assure that your grandchildren will have the opportunity to eat a vine ripened heirloom tomato. By supporting small local farms you help the people who grow food that tastes good to stay in business (as opposed to the people who grow food because it can be shipped easier)
6. You can cut down on the amount of pesticides and herbicides your family consumes. Typically small farmers use less of these poisons than industrial farms use.
7. It’s a gift to future generations. Sustainable farming can help make sure that they will be able to produce healthy food for their families.
8. You can help alleviate world hunger. Yes, it’s true! Industrial farms use large tracts of land to feed people far away. That land could be sustainably farmed by local farmers to feed their families.
9. You can help preserve open spaces. Family farms that stay in production won’t be sold to developers.
10. It’s just the right thing to do. You can feel it in your heart and see it in the smiles of the farmers and artisans you support.
You had me at hummus and honey butter. Yum!!
Super post! I’m more of a locovore in summer than in winter, though. 🙂
Oh dear! I meant locavore. But it’s true I’m a bit loco too. 🙂
That is a great idea, eat local food. I do try.
I am now hungry I eat lots of low mileage foods
Good advice, and I try as much as I can. I would love to get local fresh eggs. xo
I can’t say I’m conscious of eating locally necessarily, but I do think it’s a good idea to buy locally (i.e., support small business) whenever possible.
Couldn’t agree with you more…though cheese and microbreweries are as local as things are during our long winters. In the summer, the Farmers Markets shine!
This is a great post! Can’t wait for the growing season to start again…
Funny memory…after I’d moved back home, my daughter, who was up till then a city raised little gal of 11, called her friend in CA to let her know she’d eaten a REAL tomato from her aunts back yard (here in UT) She was amazed:)
Love that! I am afraid that if people stop growing or buying from small farmers, our grandkids won’t know what a real tomato tastes like!!!
I wish we have more farmer markets around here since we are right in the city. I just found an Amish market, which I intend to go to often.
Your 12 reasons are wonderful!
Yeah! I’m banking on the eat local movement with my farm that I’m trying to get going.
I don’t have a farmer’s market very close (maybe an hour away). But when I get close to it, I buy as much as we could use. Didn’t know that made me a locavore though. Always enjoy your blog.
Thank goodness, I just, ate dinner…cuz these pictures would send me to the kitchen!
We love to buy local from farmer’s markets in the summer. JDaniel needs local honey to fight allergies. Local stands carry it.
I’m a big fan of eating locally grown…it was much easier when I lived in CA. But we still do what we can. Funny to see Beehive Cheese…my hub’s cousin owns the company. They do make some tasty delights!
Beehive is my all time favorite cheese. I love their Barely Buzzed! They really know what they are doing over there….
Hi again!
Superb post. Love local food!
Many thanks for stopping by.
Have a great week & look forward to *seeing* you again soon.
In a big area like L.A. it’s very hard to find out from how far the farmers markets get their stuff. They can tell you anything. It may be true, but it may not be.
I really appreciate this post – I am all for this philosophy and mmm mmm farmer’s markets are the best! As you can see in my post – I am eating locally too. Just a very different locale! Come visit @ http://robinlynnsroad.blogspot.com/2011/12/excellent-eating.html
Hello.
I think this is a great idea.
Nice photos…makes me feel hungry, especially that big hunk of cheese (I love cheese).
Thanks for sharing.
For ref:
Eleven Roses And You
I’m loving all the Farmers markets that are springing up around the state. I agree we all need to do our part.
Great post and great reminder. I do love to buy as much locally as possible. Always buy beef and pork from a local farmer. We have a wonderful fruit stand just down the road from us. Always sad to see it close for Winter. I find it so enjoyable to have fresh produce. Boy do I miss it when we get our first frost. Nothing like a home grown tomato.
Well, I try to buy locally…not always possible. But important, I agree.
I always try to buy locally but since I live in a pretty hostile environment there’s not always a lot of choice of things in the summer!
I do grow a lot here in my garden!
This was an excellent post. I think your area would be fabulous for this type of eating.
Thanks for linking up.
A+
This is why we butcher our own beef. We know exactly what and how it was fed.
We have an abundant supply of local produce in the summer but in the winter we a subject to only trucked in produce. {{{SIGH}}}.
Loved the post sweetie!
God bless ya and have a marvelous day!
Hop over if ya get a chance…giveaway…my place!