Buy Local Food: "10 Ways To Start Your Own Local Food Movement"

March 25, 2010 - PRLog -- Over the past few years, I have become a fan of eating healthier food. For me, that has to do more with flavor and nutrition than it does with a label like "organic" or "natural." I had noticed that the vegetables I purchased at local supermarkets were grown at least 1,000 miles from where I lived, and I wondered if there was a better way to feed myself.

So, one day I went over to a regional food coop to see if they had a better choice of food than what I was seeing in my local markets. They had a better selection of some things, but they were still shipping food from far off places. I had an idea; what if I could have most of what I eat come from no more than 125 miles from where I live? How could I do that? I looked around the local area and found that there are several local food producers raising vegetables, poultry and beef. During the warmer months, local growers provide more selection for local people. But I think we can do better than that, so I have come up with "10 Ways To Start Our Own Local Food System."

1) Imagine that a comprehensive, local food system is possible. Without dreaming it up, it can't become a reality. Conceptualizing what a local food system would be like is key to bringing it into existence. Leave nothing out of the plan: Think big, think small, think of the impossible and think of the easy steps that will lead to reaching the goal.

2) Include every local food source as a contributor to the overall, local food supply. Organic, non-organic, grass fed, corn fed, raised in a greenhouse, grown in raised beds, processed, not processed - if it contributes to the amount of local food produced, then it should be counted as a legitimate "food asset" for the local food system.

3) Plant a Mittleider Garden. The Mittleider Gardening Technique can be found online at http://www.FoodForEveryone.org. It is a non-profit, educational foundation that shows people how to raise 500% more produce in raised beds that are 30' X 5'. The soil is enriched with minerals and ready to go the first season of planting. Tomatoes raised this way average out to $0.05 per pound. It is a proven garden technique used around the world.

4) Schedule an educational program about developing a local food supply at your church, local club, school or any other public venue. The key to establishing a workable food system is to provide access for others to learn about how to become more involved in raising their own food. Awareness is the key. No sustainable living concept has ever succeeded without educational materials and resources provided for free to the general public.
5) Identify the obstacles to developing a local food system. I always hear from others that if they only had enough money to start a greenhouse or a small acre farm, that they would go ahead and do it. But if we all wait around for money before doing the background work necessary to build a local food system, then we will not be prepared to put the system together if and when the financial backing arrives. Yes, it takes hard work to develop a local food supply, but it can be done in small steps before any money has to be invested in seeds, greenhouses, equipment, grow beds, livestock and supplies.

6) Avoid politicizing anything that has to do with local food production. This is America. People can choose what they want to eat. They can also educate themselves about the nutritional value of food and the various farming methods. The information is available for free on the internet. Keep the message simple: Local food is fun, it tastes good and it supports the local economy. Focus on the benefits of increasing the local food supply.

7) Keep it simple. There are local food systems in America that use the internet to help people order local food. What's the point? If it's local, then it should be face-to-face, personal and a community effort. We don't need an online ordering process to find a cucumber from the next town over. It's better to know the grower and buy directly from them.

8) Come up with a system that works with supermarkets, not against them. Supermarket chains are run by local people who make decisions for their stores every day. Some of these companies are willing to work with local growers to sell their produce at their stores. Some of these companies are even partnering with local growers.

9) Try your best to understand how food is distributed to your local supermarkets. Where does the food come from? Are there some foods that local supermarkets would be better off purchasing from local suppliers? Is it possible to raise those foods all year long and supplement what the supermarkets offer? Can you identify ten foods that your local supermarkets would rather purchase from local producers?

10) Check out the best local food system in America. It is called the Willamette Farm & Food Coalition. Located in Lane County, Oregon, this local system started over thirty years ago and continues to impress locals and visitors. Here is their local grown food guide, accessible online at: http://www.lanefood.org/locally-grown.php


About the author: Douglas Stambler has spent the last six years traveling around the western United States and examining how communities put sustainable living projects together. He is a green entrepreneur, a consultant and a professional musician. You can contact him at wcsl.02@gmail.com.