by Heidi Nawrocki

 

Local food. Organic food. A hundred years ago, going into your backyard garden or down the road to a neighbor was all that was needed to get food that was both local and organic. There was no need for a special label. The Green Revolution from the post-war era prompted farmers to use more chemical fertilizers and pesticides in order to increase yield. And the yields did increase. But at what cost?

 

We are fortunate to live in a state that is making great strides in the local food movement. And the farmers market is the perfect place to hand pick local food. So, what are the reasons to go local?

 

1) Local food tastes better. Don't believe me? Pick up a grocery store tomato and do a blind taste test with those you get at the market. A bagged salad mix pales in comparison to a bag of fresh picked, sometimes heirloom, lettuce from the market. And strawberries. Oh, strawberries! Nothing beats the sweetness of a fresh picked berry. You definitely can't find that at Kroger.

 

2) More diversity! Several of the farmers at the market grow heirloom varieties of vegetables. Black seeded Simpson lettuce, red russian kale, and several varieties of West Virginia tomatoes make an appearance. And come to the market later in the summer and see the apple varieties. While you may find Red Delicious, you'll find even more you've never heard of. And eggs! Pick up a dozen of ungraded eggs and you'll be delighted at the difference in size, shape, and color.

 

3) Local food is fresh food. Many of the farmers are up before dawn harvesting for the market. Their tomatoes are picked ripe from the vine, not green and shipped thousands of miles before making it the grocery store. The eggs you pick up are only a few days old, instead of weeks old like are often found at the grocery store. And some weeks, you can pick up a fresh chicken.

 

4) Your money is staying local. When you buy local food, the money goes straight to the farmer. This may help pay the farmers rent, help pay for their gas to get to and from the market, or help to pay for their child's education. The money is put back into the local economy.

 

5) Your food has a face. Well, not exactly. But, your farmer certainly does! When you buy from your local farmer, you are able to ask questions about growing practices and their farm. Many of them, given the opportunity, would talk your ear off about their passion. Because to commit yourself fully to farming, you have to be passionate about it.

 

It's hard to find a small farmer that is certified organic. Why is that? It costs a lot of money for a certification. Isn't it ironic that people who wish to be certified organic have to jump through hoops to prove what they DON'T put on their crops while the farms that use chemical fertilizers and pesticides don't have to prove what they DO use? Fortunately, as a local food consumer, you have the ability to ask the farmers exactly what they use. Many of the farmers at the market advertise that they grow chemical free produce. And for me and my family, picking up a chemical free heirloom tomato from a local farmer is far more exciting than picking from a stack of tomatoes with a produce tag at the grocery store.