Local Food

Today I noticed a sign at the little meat stand I buy from at the Farmer's Market, and it said: "Local is a denomination that cannot be corrupted. It is a handshake deal done at a community gathering place."

I like that.

Local is a simple concept. It brings communities together, and it leads to people supporting their neighbors. Because I go to the Farmer's Market every friday and pick up my CSA share, I also do my other marketing on Fridays. We buy fruit from the same guy each week, a guy who is a bit of an importer - he distributes on this gloomy side of the mountains for a few farmers on the sunnier, eastern side of our state. So that is the least local. But this guy loves his fruit, and it is quality stuff. We get cheese products from a wacky lady who has a photo album of all her goats on her farm. We buy meat from a guy who is crazy passionate about ethical and sustainable meat production - don't get him talking if you don't have time for a full education in the subject. As the seasons change we may pick up a flat of berries, or of plant starts for the garden. I order enough to take it home and preserve it - a box of pears, pounds of cucumbers, whatever. And while we are there we can buy lunch, listen to live music, see and chat with folks we know, get animal balloons or face paint, or sign petitions or otherwise be informed about community issues.

It's good to be local.