1. The faces behind the farm

“ I buy local because it tastes better and I know who is producing my food. I love being able to pick up my CSA and talk to my farmer.”

Isn’ t it strange that we don’ t know where our food comes from other than an occasional sticker on the apple or broccoli? By keeping your food supply close to home, you can easily establish a connection between you, your farmer, and your food. Making this connection happens by cooking new or old recipes, eating strawberries right out of the green pint basket, talking to your local farmer, mingling with friends at the market, and just knowing that you are eating fresh. It feels good!

2. Ripeness & Taste

“ The difference in the taste between what I grow in my garden or pick up at the farmers market is night and day from the grocery store. I don’ t buy out-of-season tomatoes anymore.”

Tomatoes ripen better on the vine where they maintain their flavor, color and sweetness. Seasonal eating helps you discover the tastes and possibilities of foods through fresh, seasonal cooking food adventures! From parsnips and beets, to kale and leeks, discovering new foods opens up endless possibilities.

3. Environmental Impact

The average distance squash travels is 781 miles from farm-to-plate and most squash are imported. Although apples are primarily grown in the United States, they travel farther at 1,550 miles.

In buying local, you have an immediate impact on the local food system and economy. You reduce the carbon footprint

and miles traveled of vegetables by switching from supermarket products to locally grown. Studies show that a diet made up of regional food uses 17 times less petroleum than a typical diet bought from the store and shipped across the country and the world.

4. Your dollar goes farther

The lives of two ears of corn. There were once two ears of corn, one was grown in Oregon, the other in California.

Both were bought from the local grocer for a dollar each. The Oregon dollar was used by the grocer to pay a local distributor, who paid the farmer, who paid their staff, who paid for their kid to go to dance class from the teacher who happens to be your neighbor. The dollar from California was used by the grocer to pay the distributor from Portland, who paid the wholesaler in Los Angeles, who paid the trucker and so on until it eventually trickles down to the local farmer and community. When you add up the real-life benefits of buying local, it couldn’ t be a better deal!

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