Thursday, June 21, 2007

Eat, Drink, Be Local

The average dinner travels about 1,500 miles to arrive at your plate. That drains local economies of income and wastes tankers of fuel in the process. Generations of Americans have grown up expecting food that arrives in shrink-wrapped and paper-boarded perfection. Unlike our ancestors, few of us maintain backyard gardens or know the origin of the food we eat. And, more often than not, the food we purchase contains an unrecognizable list of ingredients.

In our region, eat-local opportunities abound. Family farms still remain a vital component of the region's identity. Farmers markets and roadside stands dot the countryside. And a host of chefs and self-proclaimed foodies support the "eat local" philosophy and devote their culinary efforts to showcasing the best of the region's bounty.

Do you think it's important to buy locally-produced food? Do you agree that the opportunities to buy locally are present in the region? Would you buy more locally-produced food if it was more convenient?

4 comments:

Unknown said...

I think it is most important to strive to know your food. I believe local food is best, particularly in terms of long-term food security. On the other hand, recent research is starting to show that with certain food sources, the efficiency losses in going local could actually have negative externalities for the environment. The key really is diversity. The sustainability of our food security and a comprehensive approach to agricultural management depends on a wide variety of practices and sources where the emphasis is nutrition and safety.

Anonymous said...

I have only recently realized the importance of local foods and products. Decent food (calories) are hard to find! My wish for the Syracuse Farmer's Market is to have an area for LOCAL produce, meats and product... The grocery chains have a nicely labeled ORGANIC section-most of it is from many states away; when a loudly labeled LOCAL section would serve us better.

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