By now many of us have heard of the term "locavore," which describes someone who eats locally grown or produced foods, usually within a 200-mile radius. The movement supports local farmers and producers who provide urban populations with healthy, tasty, fresh and diverse products while counteracting the industrialization and globalization of our food supply
We know that most foods travel an average of 1,500 miles over the course of weeks before ending up on our plates. But that practice has become so prevalent that we don't stop and think about the ramifications. We've grown accustomed to the luxury of having access to any foods we want at any time of the year, but unfortunately there are hidden costs that have snuck up on us. Our health, environment and communities have been suffering as a consequence. Here are just some of the side effects of long-distance and mass-produced food:
- Loss of freshness, flavor and nutritional value
- Higher pesticide use, especially on foods from other countries
- Increased air pollution and global warming due to shipping and distribution
- Increased packaging
- Endangered small- to medium-sized farms
- Reduction of food dollars that stay in the local community
- Less variety since crops are grown for mass production and endurance (for example, there are hundreds of tomato varieties but grocery stores can only offer a flavorless few)
- Great ecological costs due to a break-down of biodiversity (fewer species of plants and animals), which relates to less variety
- Loss of relationships with growers and producers, which in turn holds them less accountable, and then that leads to increased food safety problems
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So eating locally isn't just about fighting corporate giants and salmonella outbreaks. It's about the satisfaction we get from doing something that enhances the health and diversity of our planet and ourselves. It's about the joy of cultivating relationships with the people around us and supporting our local communities. It's about knowing where our food comes from and how it was grown and produced. It's about the simple pleasure of eating.
Granted, it is difficult to buy everything from the immediate community, especially if you're one of the many with a coffee or chocolate addiction. Another deterrent is our cold winter climate thus requiring the knowledge of old-fashioned methods such as canning, drying and freezing.
But don't let these small complications discourage you. Being a locavore doesn't have to be a chore, nor does it have to be all or nothing. There are several fun and easy ways to make small changes that add up. Visit your local farmers markets, sign up to have farm-fresh food delivered to your home via a CSA (Consumer Supported Agriculture), shop at your local co-ops, make canning your next hobby, support restaurants that use local ingredients, grow a garden, if no yard then grow herbs in your window. Go ahead, see how local you can go! The following resources will help you get started.
Resources:
2009 Farm Fresh Atlas (www.farmfreshatlas.org): Includes a list of Wisconsin farms by region, CSA's, a seasonal food chart, as well as farmers market locations and schedules.
Savor Wisconsin (www.savorwisconsin.com): Search for specific local food sources, farmers markets, events, and businesses.
Eat Local Milwaukee (eatlocalmilwaukee.googlepages.com): Learn more about eating locally and join the Eat Local Challenge the second week of September.
Slow Food Wisconsin Southeast (www.slowfoodwise.org): An organization that advocates the support of family farms and cooperatives, promotes locally grown food, provides support for school gardens, conservation of regional culinary traditions and the maintenance of biodiversity.
Growing Power (www.growingpower.org): A non-profit organization that provides gardens, farmers markets, distribution, education and workshops.
Braise RSA (www.braiseculinaryschool.com): A list of restaurants that source local ingredients and the farms that participate.
Local Harvest (www.localharvest.org): A national website of farmers markets, CSA's, restaurants, co-ops and events; search by city or Zip code. Great for those who travel.
(Copyright photo by David Ball)
