Demand Local, Organic Food

Many know that some folks idealize food that is organically grown and from local sources, but we may not know ALL the reasons why. Now this list is by no means exhaustive, but it is a good start. From saving the planet to socking away in the piggy bank, there are countless reasons to demand what has long been proven reliable and wholesome. Please note valid reasons as to why one should reconsider the hype around toxic tech and ask for some good eatin’ from your local farmer’s market or backyard garden.

1) Reduce Costs

Visiting a local farmer’s market or growing your own food is a great way to spend less. Eating food-like products raises health care costs and reduces optimal bodily functions. You may elect to spend $6 on a latte with a pastry for breakfast, or the thrifty spender could start their day with fresh greens, locally sourced eggs and apple cider vinegar without the added costs of fuel and the costs of ill health.

2) Share with Neighbors

When you choose to grow your own food or invest in a weekly farmer’s veggie bundle, you may very well have extras that would spoil if left on the vine or sitting in the fridge. Sharing helps to grow community by reengaging with friends, neighbors and loved ones – as well as assures that nothing goes to waste. “Waste not, want not.”

3) Yard Full of Goodies

A change in perspective conveys a new sense of edible. What once may have been called a weed under new eyes is a leafy green, or an immunity-boosting dandelion. The natives often cultivated the land to grow the very things we spritz to kill, because nutritional value resides in the delights some like to call a “weed”. A walk in a local park may enlighten you to a treasure trove of berry bushes or protein-filled nut trees.

4) Boost the Local Economy

Spending your hard earned cash at mega-chain stores seems like a great convenience, until you realize that most of that money does not stay in town. Diverting funds to nearby producers of things like honey, veggies, eggs, and more ensures that stores of value circulate locally and will be used later – probably making its way back to you for services rendered. Independence is a great ideal, and supporting local endeavors is far more wholesome than supporting the corporate powers.

5) Save the Bees

Common knowledge now enlightens us to the overuse of harmful pesticides and other noxious chemical agents. Bees and other pollinators are natural givers, performing a service at no direct cost to you or me. By choosing organic products, we enable natural ecosystems that preserve diversity rather than killing the very creatures who have fed us for so long.

6) Support Local Farmers

Many love to give back and support the community, and one finds themselves hard-pressed to give to those as deserving as local farmers. Your children may well go to school with their children, and farmers nearby tend to have smaller operations that are less taxing on natural resources. Considering the drought long plaguing the West, it would be wise to reorganize by helping out the locals who practice good permaculture habits and only take what is needed.

7) Better Nutrition

The prime way to eat earthly delights is from farm to table. When one state thousands of miles away produces for a whole nation, Big Ag harvests prematurely to allow time for the appearance of natural ripening, reducing the nutritional value of said food. These succulent delights are best served right off the vine, where good ole’ Mother Nature adds the finishing touches with the help of the sun – as has been the case for thousands of years. “If something is not broke, then don’t try to fix it.”

8) Know What You’re Eating

While other nations have bans and moratoriums on strange phenomena such as certain GMO products, here in America one is likely to buy many things at the store without actually knowing the full contents of said products. There exists “Non-GMO Verified” groups and other third party verifiers, but a lack of transparency makes a trip to the big chain supermarkets a questionable endeavor. I beseech you to amend groomed buying habits in lieu of something a bit more traditional – if only for the peace of mind that comes with knowing what one puts in one’s mouth.

9) Reduced Transportation

By choosing to grow your own food or shop locally, transportation costs decline across the board. No longer is it necessary to ship across an entire country, or source expensive supplies from all over the globe. Save the environment - and your pocket book - by growing your own or visiting Old Farmer Brown down the road. You might even get invited for a hay ride or a bonfire if you mind your manners.

10) Water Conservation

Fresh water seems a scarce resource even more so these days. When we grow local and organic, in a sustainable fashion, water demands go down. There exists a plethora of ways to save water by not tilling, companion planting, and reducing chemical use. The reduction in transportation alone will reduce demand for toxic practices like fracking, which we find poisoning water tables and increasing the severity of droughts. Try some common sense and start a garden, or visit your local farmer today.