One of the best reasons to buy your food locally is connection. Who among us feels connected to our neighbors let alone the persons who grow our food and create the fuel we need to sustain us? The truth is, as a society we've become profoundly disconnected from each other and from the source of those things that make it possible to keep going. Is it any wonder that many Americans feel isolated, insecure and depressed? Although the problem I describe extends well beyond the bounds of agriculture, increasing our connection to the orgins of our food is one sure way to re-infuse our lives with the oft-missing human element.
How can you gain access to local food, you ask? Well, if you do most of your grocery shopping at a chain store, chances are good that your food is coming from large distribution centers located hundreds, if not thousands, of miles away. Chances are also good that many of the products on the shelves have their origins in places all over the globe. So, your best bet for trying to access local food is finding the nearest farmers' market. Weekly farmers' markets are springing up all over the place. Not sure where your nearest farmers' market is? Go to www.localharvest.org to search their directory of farmers' markets across the U.S.
At your local farmers' market you'll mill about looking at the wonderful and often unique variety of freshly picked produce. You'll also invariably interact with the people from whom you are buying tomatoes (or salad greens or garlic, you get the idea!). Often times the people selling the produce are the very same people who had a hand in growing the food. Ever wonder how long it takes to grow a tomato from seed to juicy, red fruit? Ask! Are you curious about what, if any, sprays were used on the produce? Ask! And be sure to ask where the food was grown. Why? Because this gives you a tangible connection to a place, for one. Additionally, it may lead to an inclination to visit the farm someday. Especially if it's only a 20-minute drive away. Farmers' markets are great places to strike up conversations and, whether you mean to or not, you can learn a lot in the process. If nothing else you can know the producers of your veggies on sight, and the next time you see them you can proclaim "That's my farmer!"
