Buy Local Foods

Looking to support your community?
Want to shop and buy local?

Buy a piece of farm. Enjoy the harvest.

The distance food travels to reach your plate really does pack a wallop. Transporting food burns gallons of fossil fuels, polluting the air, creating acid rain, and warming earth's atmosphere — real problems for our global environment.

When you buy food grown in the United States, you cut the distance your food travels and ensure yourself fresher produce.

When you buy food directly from local growers in your own area, the food you eat is sure to be even fresher. And most likely more healthful.

You make a real impact when you buy food grown in your local area. The main advantage of locally grown foods is that food is eaten soon after being harvested. And that means

• fewer preservatives and chemicals used to retard ripening
• no need to add wax to enhance appearance
• food tastes fresher because it is fresh
• local economy grows, including small family farms

Because smaller farms typically use less pesticide than large commercial producers, fewer pollutants enter rivers, lakes, and ponds, leaving a cleaner and healthier environment for you and your family to enjoy.

One way to shop locally and buy the freshest food possible is to join a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) group. As part of a CSA, it is kind of like you get to buy a farm without having to be the farmer.

Each CSA member makes an investment with the local farmer to pay part of the farm expense. The farmer's part of the bargain is to share his harvested crop with all the members in the CSA. The number of farms participating in CSA memberships is growing in the United States. You may be able to find one in your area.

Most small local farms grow a limited number of crops, but you may find the variety of food available well worth your investment.