The Green Kitchen

I have been trying to eat more locally for many reasons: environmental, freshness, food safety and cost.  But I haven't really decided what"local" means: 50 miles? 100? within the state?  Last week I saw a sign in my local Whole Foods (Oakland, CA) which read: "Local Apples! Grown in Washington State!"  That seemed like a bit of a stretch to me. 

So, when you buy local, what do you consider local??

Good question! I guess my idea of local shifts sometimes. We get a weekly local produce delivery of food grown here in Colorado. While I dream about buying things that are grown in my own city, it's hard to do that living in the mountains where it's cold for a good portion of the year. We have great local summer produce, but pickings are slim in the winter. That's why I hope to do a lot more canning and freezing next year.

In the winter months, the produce company gets things shipped in from Arizona and New Mexico. While not really local, it's still pretty close. And better than coming from several states away, or from another country.

A year or so ago my husband brought home some apple juice. When I was reading the label I saw that it said something like "a product of Argentina, Chile and China" (I can't remember exactly). Ugh - I was horrified! Since then I've tried not to buy any fruits or veggies grown outside of the country. I go for Colorado grown first, then as close as possible after that.

 

My blog~ Greenhab: The Browns go Green

 

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Local means a few things to me.  When I shop locally, I'm supporting local farmers with farms within the state.  Sometimes they get items shipped in to them from out of state.  I live in NC and this summer at the farmer's market they had locally grown peaches and peaches that were shipped in from KS!  It's important to ask where the product is from if buying local is important to you.

Local also means grown/reared in the same region where I live. 

I've learned not to buy anything from the local farmer's market here.  They're expensive and they spray everything.  I don't think people around here know what the word organic means.  "Local" in this instance means the towns in the immediate vicinity.

I have, however, found that we have a food coop in this state.  I'll look into that.  So I guess that means "local" is in this region.

It depends on the application.  In the winter time when produce is hard to come buy here, local could mean grown in the U.S.