Ask yourself why you do this

In early February there was a blurb in the Seattle Times about a Salem man who called off his attempt to eat only local foods for a year because he realized he was causing more damage to the atmosphere by driving “around the state” to shop.

Well… okay. Driving around the state for your food does sound like a pretty bad idea. But, was it really necessary? And what about the other reasons for choosing local foods (when possible)?

I admit, I don’t know Salem as well as I know the Corvallis/Albany area, but I have been trying to understand what this gentleman wasn’t finding close enough to home. I think that this aspect of local food advocacy can be a gray area, and we need to be informed consumers. Here are some of my thoughts on shopping locally:

Let them come to you
The Oregon Farmers’ Market Association website has a page devoted to the markets in Oregon. Here’s the list for the Willamette Valley. At the Corvallis market, I’ve noticed signs on vendors tables that indicate how many miles they drove to be there… cool, if that’s a concern to you. With some planning, a once-or-twice-weekly trek to the local market for both vendors and buyers should help decrease the need to run all over town later. And buying at the market supports your local economy because we are fortunate enough to have farmers for neighbors.

Focus on your daily route
We all have to go somewhere, sometime. Whether you get around by bus, car, bike or foot, see if there are farm stands along your route. Additionally, keep your eyes open for people selling items from their private homes, such as eggs or extra produce from their gardens.

Sign up for a CSA box
Find a farm that delivers near you, or where you can pick up from a convenient location. You’ll probably end up trying items you’ve never tried before, and that’s just part of the fun.

Buy in bulk
If you have enough freezer space, you can purchase meat and poultry directly from local farmers. That link leads to just a partial list, so check around. (And let me know if you find websites I don’t have listed yet!) Supplement with your farmers’ market purchases and find yourself at the store a lot less.

It’s okay to go to the grocery store or corner market
Many local grocers and markets carry locally produced items. The trick is to make sure those items aren’t shipped out to some far away central location and then back to the stores.  But, for example, Lochmead Farms, located in Junction City, sells products through Dari Mart. There are other local dairy producers, too, that you can find in many grocery stores. (It would be interesting to know exactly how the dairy supply chain in Oregon works. Anyone knowledgeable in that area want to write a guest post?)

Grow your own
Garden! Even just a little! Driving is less of a concern if you can step outside to gather some fruits and vegetables, or pluck herbs from your windowsill.

Cooperate with your friends and neighbors
Carpool to the weekly farmers’ market or pick something up for your neighbor while you’re already out. Go in together and buy a cow or split a CSA box. Share the bounty from your gardens. Okay, if you’re all swimming in zucchini, that’s kind of a dud idea, but trading, say, blueberries for apples is a lovely way to get to know people. If you’re lucky enough to live on a street with many gardeners, why not help each other out with the chores, too?

Learn how to preserve
Freezer jam keeps for about a year and it’s easy, just cook, cool and freeze. Or, learn how to use canning equipment and preserve all manner of produce for the months when we have little to no fresh fruit or vegetables. If you want to learn more about food education and preservation, consider the Lane County Family Food Education/Master Food Preserver Program (FFE/MFP).

Give up some stuff. Or don’t, but then accept that you aren’t perfect.
I like bananas. I’ve cut back, but I’m not going to beat myself up for buying a bunch of bananas every once in a while. If you want to try to give up every single thing that’s not locally produced, then more power to you. But I think very few people could sustain that and I’m certainly not going to point fingers if I see you eating a Reese’s peanut butter cup.

Finally, ask yourself why you do this
Are you looking for local food because you like the taste, the freshness, the better nutritional content, and supporting your farming neighbors? Or do you only care about reducing your carbon footprint? That’s an admirable goal, but this isn’t a wholly realistic way to go about it. Farm management techniques can have a greater impact than whether that tomato traveled across state lines.

Bottom line
If everyone chooses to simply do what they can in terms of eating locally, then there’s no giving up when we can’t sustain the effort.

(photo credits: “Cornucopia” by kate e. did; “bounty on my counter” by cafemama)

Tags: eat local, farmers' market, local food, local foods, Oregon, Willamette Valley