10 Reasons to Buy Local Food

There are more than 10 reasons people buy local food, but this informative article found at one of the Green markets mentions 10 sound reasons to buy local. This goes hand in hand into what Parkchester Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is all about. We share with the community of the Bronx, fresh and local vegetables from W. Rogowski farm. What are your reasons of buying local food?

These are the reasons:
1. Local food taste better...Food imported from far way is older, has traveled of trucks or planes, and has sat in warehouses before it finally gets to you.

2.Local produce is better for you. The shorter the time between the farm and your table, the less likely it is that nutrients will be lost from fresh food.

3. Local food preserves genetic diversity. In the modern agricultural system, plant varieties are chosen for their ability to ripen uniformly, withstand harvesting, survive packing and last in the shelf, so there is limited genetic diversity in large scale production. Smaller local farms, contrast, often grow many different varieties to provide a long harvest season, in an array of colors and flavors.

4. Local food is safe....Local farmers aren't anonymous and they take their responsibility to the consumer seriously.

5. Local food supports local families. Wholesale price that farmers get for their product are low, often near the cost of production. Local farmers who sell directly to consumers cut out the middleman and get full retail price for their food, which helps farm families stay on the land.

6. Local food builds community. When you buy directly from a farmer, you're engaging in a time-honored connection between eater and grower. Knowing the farmer gives you insight into the seasons, the land and your food...It gives you access to a place where your children and grandchildren can go to learn about nature and agriculture.

7.Local food preserve open space. When farmers get paid more for their products by marketing locally, they're less likely to sell their farmland for development. When you buy locally food, you're doing something proactive to preserve our agriculture landscape.

8.Local food keeps taxes down. According to several studies, farms contribute more in taxes than they require to services, whereas most other kinds of development contributes less in taxes than the cost of the services they require.

9. Local food benefits the environment and wildlife. Well-managed farms conserve fertile soil and clean water in our communities. The farm environment is patchwork of fields, meadows, woods, ponds, and buildings that provide habitat for wildlife.

10. Local food is an investment in the future. By supporting local farm farmers today, you are helping ensure that there will be farms in your community tomorrow.


If you are interested in join a CSA this year and be a healthier you,
Email us: parkchestercsa@gmail.com

Originally from "with an Ear to the Ground" by Vern Grubinger