En sautant du Sud vers l'Amérique du Nord, mon sens géographique de ce qui est “local” produits est allé à l'envers.
Maintenant que je suis hors des tropiques, my suggestion for homemade Hawaiian ice with coconuts, banane, papaye, et la mangue est soudainement plus Homegrown. Maintenant, une glace très-berry, fait avec les bleuets du Maine, Juneberries Iowan, ou de framboises Washingtonian, would be more responsible summer eating.
No matter where we are in the world, out of respect for the rest of the planet it’s best to eat what’s grown closest to home and when it’s in season.
Do you know how many miles your food had to travel to reach your table?
Do you know how much energy and how many materials that packaging and transport required?
Do you know how many pollutants were released into our air and seeped into the water in the process?
Do you know—or even want to know—in what conditions the food was produced?
Can you see how much of a disconnect we have between the field and the fork?
Votre average meal travels 1,500 miles, likely in refrigerated trunks. The fruits and vegetables were likely picked before they were fully ripe, before their flavor has peaked. Anything outside of “perfect” parameters for size, color, or shape are tossed. On conventional agricultural operations, the produce was sprayed with pesticides, herbicides, fongicides, and chemical fertilizers in the field. Their genetic makeup may have been modified in labs, impacting natural ecosystems and our health.
Eating locally, better yet organically, is a refreshing alternative.
- You can sniff the aroma without any shrink wrap or wax coating in the way.
- You can let your child pick out an oddly shaped or funny colored food she’s never tried before.
- You can shake the hand of the farmer, find out when the produce was picked, and arrange an outing to see the farm for yourself.
It’s total transparency and direct connection between the consumer, the food, and the producer.
Still not convinced? Wait till you cook it! The flavor-boost from freshness and ripeness is enough to offset any added inconvenience of not just shopping at your standard supermarket.
How to Eat Local
1.) Farmer’s markets
Weekly fairs set up in central community spots with a table or stand for each producer. The farms are generally no further than a couple of hours away. Beyond fruits and vegetables, farmer’s markets usually offer baked goods, meat and dairy products, plantes en pot, refreshments, and even live entertainment.
2.) Soutenue par la Communauté de l'agriculture
A farm divides its harvest into shares that are bought ahead of time by local consumers. The farmer benefits by having guaranteed payment for the crop. The consumer benefits by having a guaranteed delivery of freshly picked food, often varying weekly or seasonally. Some CSA members rotate delivering orders to neighbors. Often pick-up is on-site at the farm.
3.) Cooperatives and Food Hubs
Members buy at a grocer or through a buying club that centralizes deliveries from partner farms across a larger region, thus providing more variety than a single CSA.
Example of a Food Hub (Virginie)
4.) Pick-Your-Own
Leave the hard work to the farmer and show up for the fun part: picking! Fill up your own bag or basket and pay by the pound. These are popular in the fall for apples and pumpkins, but don’t miss out on brief summer windows for berries and stone fruit.
See what’s in season in the U.S.
5.) Roadside Stands
The most informal or unorganized way for a farmer to sell the harvest is by parking a pickup loaded with produce on the shoulder of a country road. A bright red split watermelon catches the eye of passersby better than any scrawled cardboard sign, so be on the lookout when road tripping this summer (stay tuned to future posts on summer vacation plans).
What’s for dinner in your neck of the woods?
PROPOS DE L'AUTEUR
Carrie est un éducateur en environnement, anthropologiste, et traducteur. Elle a pris ses passions pour la écologique, santé, et la défense des droits des femmes dans les bureaux de Washington, D.C. dans les rues de l'Amérique du Sud. Maintenant en Colombie, elle ouvre lentement les yeux des femmes aux merveilles de "la copita de luna" (Lune Coupe) et Keepers.
[…] 1.) Volunteer on a farm Offer to volunteer for a half-day at a farm whose produce you like in your farmer’s market, coopérative alimentaire, or other local eating venues. […]