Resources to Find Great Local Foods

My father raises longhorn cattle in Marianna, Arkansas, mostly for fun but occasionally for food. I don't usually eat beef (or any mammals, for that matter), but I always look forward to having some of the beef from my father's farm. Why the exception? I know how the animals are treated. They eat grass, have room to roam, (even jumping the fence when they want to explore more, much to the annoyance of my father), and they're not given growth hormones, non-grain food, or other compounds that make me mistrustful of commercial meat.

Buying locally produced food is a good way to strengthen your local economy, support family farms, protect the environment and your health, and enjoy fresher, better-tasting food. It also cuts down on the energy and time need to transport food. This is important since the average piece of food in the US must be transported 1500 miles to get to your plate. How fresh could it be?

Here are three sites to get you started:

* www.foodroutes.org
* www.localharvest.org
* www.ams.usda.gov/farmersmarkets/

You can find locally produced food in the following places. Just click the links to find a map of farms or markets all over the US. Enter your zip code for the ones nearest you.

* Farmer's markets provide an easy way to find local fruit, vegetables, and other goods. Area growers bring their food to a central location for periodic sale. Items often vary by the season.

* U-pick farms give people the opportunity to harvest their own fruit and vegetables. My husband and I have a great times picking our own oranges, scuppernongs, and muscadines.

* Food cooperatives are member-owned grocery stores that serve the community by providing high-quality foods at reasonable prices. I like Sevananda in Atlanta.

* You may even find local food in some restaurants or supermarkets, or you can join a food-buying club to buy food with friends.

* Community sponsored agriculture is a partnership residents and a particular local farm. The arrangement allows consumers to purchase "shares" of the farms produce which entitle them to a weekly food allowance. Shareholders visit the farm or another location at a scheduled time every week to pick up their food.

Growing up in Little Rock, my mother and grandmother regularly bought food from Mr. Bosley, who traveled through the neighborhood selling local produce from his truck. It was a wonderful service that is rapidly disappearing. But thankfully, we all can still get locally produced food. Local food is better food, for everybody. Enjoy some today!