Buying fresh and local

I love buying fresh food. It is a good feeling to be supporting local farmers and taking care of myself with tasty, nutritious food, all while doing something positive to support my local environment.

I am so pleased, to hear more news stories about the far-reaching advantages of consuming local and/or organic food, and its impact on our diet and environment. There is also more awareness about organic food and the importance of eating food that is free of harmful pesticides and hormones.

The benefits are numerous! Local farmers sell their produce directly to consumers and don’t have to bother with packing and shipping factors or even concerns about food shelf life. And because local produce is brought to market when it is ripe and fresh, consumers have access to produce that is more nutritious and tasty than that which comes from further away. And, from an environmental standpoint, a local market minimizes pollution because there is less packaging that needs to be carted off to landfills, as well as less gasoline usage and emissions that long-distance transport and refrigeration require.

Stimulating your local economy is another reason to buy local produce! Farmers who grow and sell locally keep about 80% of their revenue compared to the mere 20% profit of farmers who grow food for large corporations and companies. This 60% in extra income circulates more in your local area, thereby boosting your community. And local farming encourages more fields and open areas and less over-development.

And last, but not least, locally grown foods are much better for your general health. When produce is harvested, its nutritious value is at its peak. Produce loses freshness and nutritional value each day it is en route to a destination. So, the sooner you can eat the fresh food you purchase, the better it is for you. And as an added plus, local foods tend to be seasonal, which also benefits our health.

Hopefully, you are already a local supporter of local farmers’ markets, and if you aren’t, I hope my thoughts have given you something to think about! We need to support our community, economy, and our environment.