5 Reasons to Buy Locally Grown Food
1. Tastes and looks better.Locally grown foods that are farmed close to home are picked at their peak and usually sold within 24 hours of harvesting, therefore are fresher, taste and look better. In contrast, food imported from further away lose their freshness due to the time it takes to transport it to your local store.
2. Supports local farmers + families. Local farmers who sell directly to consumers cut out the middlemen and can get full retail price for their food, which helps farm families be able to afford to continue farming their land.
3. Builds community.When you shop directly from local farmers, you’re making a connection between the grower and eater, and furthermore supporting a local business. Getting to know the people who grow your food, helps to learn more about, support and, appreciate your community.
4. Makes a lighter carbon footprint. On average, food travels 1,500 miles from farm to plate. Each calorie of food produce also requires an average of 10 calories of fossil-fuel inputs for travel, refrigeration and processing. Purchasing local-grown food is a simple way to address the increasing expense of fossil fuels and the adverse effects of global warming from increase carbon emissions.
5. Preserves genetic diversity.In industrial agriculture, there are only a few varieties in large-scale production and plants are bred for their ability to ripen uniformly, withstand harvesting, survive packing and last a long time on the self. Think about what a traditional tomato on the vine looks like compared to an heirloom tomato. Or packaged strawberries versus those purchased at a farmer’s market. This leaves our food supply vulnerable to disease or disaster. In contrast, smaller local farms, often grow many different varieties to provide a longer season, an array of colors and the best taste.