Published on February 16th, 2009 | by Stephanie Evans

Support Your Farmers by Eating Locally

Did you know that you can help curtail global warming just by changing up the fruits and vegetables you buy everyday?

Most of the food you eat travels hundreds and sometimes thousands of miles to get to your kitchen table. Food shipped and trucked from all corners of the world uses untold millions of gallons of gasoline for transport and threatens the existence of local farms. Not to mention all of the carbon dioxide it releases into the environment, just to get to your kitchen.

Imagine what would happen to the cost of produce if gas were to hit ten dollars a gallon, and all the small farmers went away?

What You Can Do

By supporting your local farmers you can ensure a continuous supply of locally grown foods each season. Besides, your body is designed to be at healthiest by eating local foods that grow in harmony with your environment. How to do this? It’s easy:

– Eat locally. Choose foods and ingredients that are brought you by nearby farms rather than those that have been imported from far off regions.

– Shop at your local farmers’ market. Your neighborhood farmers’ market is a great place to find a wide variety of local produce.

– Sign up for Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). A weekly delivery from your favorite farm will deliver a seasonal supply of fruits and vegetables right to your doorstep or to your weekly farmers’ market.

So think about eating the produce from your local farms. Not only will you do your health a favor, you will support your local farmer’s livelihood.

Article Contributors: Reenita Malhotra