It's That Time Again!

Baseball, flowers poking up through the ground, green leaves showing themselves--all sure signs of spring.  But one of the best signs that we're into that time of year is the opening of our many local farmers' markets.

Cows of Tussock Sedge Farm in Blooming Glen.
(photo courtesy of Lynne Goldman)

Slowly but surely, the farmers' markets in our area are starting up, giving us the opportunity to buy great local foods (and other products).  It's a great time of year.

A number of studies show that supermarket produce travels an average of about 1500 miles from the field to your plate.  That's a long way.  During the food's not-so-excellent adventure, both nutrition and taste are depleted.  That gives us some pretty tepid and bland veggies sitting in the grocery store.  Add in the fuel, refrigeration and packaging used to ship these products so far, you've got a pretty major carbon footprint.

That's why eating locally produced and grown foods makes so much sense.  No long-distance shipping.  Foods that retain their natural nutritional value.  And food that simply tastes so much better than things shipped from across the country. 

There are places in this country that eating local isn't very easy.  But we are so blessed with an amazing array of locally raised foods to choose from here in Bucks County and surrounding areas.  Why would we eat anything else?  Buying from local farmers lets you actually talk to the people who work so hard to give you these great items.  You can ask questions and really know where your food came from.

A Blooming Glen Farm farmers' market display.

Whether it's produce or meats, eating local also gives a much-needed boost to the local economy.  The neat thing is that many of our communities were founded on economies based on farming.  So the local food movement, while forward-thinking, also hearkens back to the past--and brings things full circle.

So go check out a farmers' market this weekend.  Join a CSA (we finally joined Blooming Glen Farm and are very excited about it!).  Stop by a local meat or poultry market.  The farmers, your family, your body and your taste buds will thank you for it!

CSAs

Just a quick link to a Bucks County Taste post telling how there are a number of local CSA farms (community supported agriculture) that are still have shares available.  If you want to assure yourself of having wonderful, fresh veggies (and more) throughout the spring, summer and fall, a CSA is the way to go.  Check them out!

Locavores are Thriving!

I have local food on the brain--from promoting and enjoying a successful screening of Fresh: The Movie to planning for my cooking demos at local farmers' markets to seeing roadside produce stands coming to life all over the place. 

As I've said before, I find it kind of funny that it's so trendy to eat like folks did 150 years ago.  But it's a good trend--one that benefits our health, our environment, our communities and our taste buds. 

It isn't just here in our area, the locavore trend is nation-wide, which bodes well for the future.  Changing the food culture in our country is something that has to happen if we are going to return to a healthy, sustainable way of producing the food we put in our bodies. 

An article in the Napa Valley Register On-line tells of author Janet Fletcher's new book, Eating Locally, A Cookbook Inspired by America's Farmers.  In researching the book, she visited 10 different CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture) all over the country and found them thriving.  

CSAs not only give local farmers a way to earn much-needed income, but gives those who are members fresh, healthy produce that they probably would not otherwise get to enjoy.  There are heirloom vegetables that are too perishable to ship across the country like those in the grocery stores.  There are veggies like kohlrabi or collard greens that are new to many people.  And it just makes you feel better to know where your food is from, to talk to the farmer who grew it and to be confident about what you're putting in your mouth--and the mouths of your kids.

That's what buying local food is all about.  Food that's better for you, better for the community, better for our world and, best of all, better tasting.  Let's keep this trend going!