Holistic Health Mama

This question is something I’m extremely passionate about and have devoted my career after graduating from undergrad up to this point. For the past 7 years I’ve worked for a nonprofit managing farmers’ markets, connecting consumers with farmers’ via different platforms, and assisting those with federal food benefits use their issued dollars to purchase locally produced food. I’ve been totally immersed in this experience and have adapted my lifestyle to also support this ideal of eating seasonally and locally while also allowing for balance, I mean come on guys I have 3 kiddos!

Eating locally is such an important support beam to health in my opinion while also providing support to external things like your local community, the environment, and a reduction in waste. But, let’s talk about the elephant in the room…there is often a stigma placed on farmers’ markets being an expensive place to get groceries, but I have seen thousands of people make this a sustainable part of their budget while developing lasting relationships with local growers and producers in the process. This can be a part of everyone’s plate no matter their budget, but there are ways to make shopping easier and more manageable-and I can help! Stay tuned to this blog or follow me on Instagram to get tips on recipes, shopping seasonally and locally, and so much more!

It’s easy to be removed from our food sources, and not understand why food at the farmers’ market may be more expensive than what you can buy at the grocery store, and it really comes down to the supply chain and manner in which the food is produced. Local farmers and producers are doing all the work to get the product you purchase at a market or farm store to you in a sustainable manner. When you purchase food directly from your local farmer, the food is fresher which means better nutrient profiles and taste in my opinion (local in season tomatoes just taste different and are much more delicious than one you can buy in say December in New England), has traveled less distance, and overall has touched less hands. Have you ever thought while biting into an apple, how many hands have actually touched that apple? Food traveling a shorter distance from from to plate is also important because it reduces your carbon footprint and the amount of emissions during travel and reduces plastics used for packaging.

Less hands is also a great thing when you dive deeper, as local food systems often involve smaller-scale production and more direct oversight, this reduces the risk of contamination or food-borne illnesses compared to large-scale industrial farming and distribution networks.

Buying locally allows for a closer connection to your food source and allows you to learn about how the food was produced while meeting those who produced it. Supporting local agriculture also helps preserve farmland and green spaces in your area, maintaining the rural landscape and protecting against urban sprawl and development.

Community building in many aspects is a key benefit, but buying from local farmers and producers also helps support small businesses and keeps money circulating within your community, contributing to local economic growth and stability.

As I mentioned above, many people find that locally grown and produced foods just taste better due to their freshness and quality, offering a more enjoyable culinary experience compared to mass-produced supermarket produce. Though in some instances more expensive, local food’s benefits far out way the costs we pay as consumers. The investment we are making is in not only in our health, but in the health of our environment, community, and the world around us as a whole.

If you would like to find a farmers’ market or farm near you there are abundant resources. Your state Department of Agriculture website is a great place to start along with Facebook, local state university cooperative extensions, the Local Harvest website, or even just Google!