Do you know where your food comes from? When you go to the grocery store and pick out food, do you wonder where it was grown? Some foods appear to identify themselves, like Colorado Peaches, while others don’t — not all apples come from Washington.
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LIVEGREEN |
by Melanie Stewart |
How about milk? Or bread? Or cookies? Is there really a Pepperidge Farm? And don’t forget meat-just because Nebraska is known for beef doesn’t mean what you buy at the store was raised here.
Enter “food miles.” Food miles is the term describing how many miles a food item has traveled to get from the farm to your plate. This includes grain to co-op, to factory, to store, to your house, but often does not include the miles put in by the farmer planting and tending the crop prior to harvest.
Why does this matter?
The greater the food miles, the more pollution created to get that food item to your plate. If your food comes from another country, you are actually importing pollution into your region. More pollution means contaminated air and water, and your health suffers.
Farmer’s market info
For local farmer’s market information as well as additional information, please click the links below.
Because your food is traveling farther, your price increases (who do you think foots the bill for all that gas?) while decreasing taste and nutrients (same calories, fewer vitamins/minerals), because fruits and veggies must be picked way before they’re ripe.
Often, more pesticides are used to create “perfect” produce and to allow it to be traded as countries worry about trading pests when trading food.
What can you do? Grow your own! Start a garden in your backyard, join a community garden, and if you don’t have space, many veggies can be planted in containers.
Don’t have a green thumb? Then buy local! Go to farmer’s markets, trade with friends/co-workers, or contact a butcher or farmer friend instead of going to a box store. Then sit back and enjoy! The planet, your health, pocket book, and taste buds will thank you!
Don’t forget, farmer’s markets are not just produce. They offer eats, cheeses, bread, baked goods, jams, fresh cut flowers, honey, crafts and even homemade dog treats!