KACHEN #21 (Winter 2019) English edition

LOCAL
PRODUCE
One common definition of “local” food is food
grown within 150km of its point of sale or
consumption. To many, local food means foods
grown and produced in your region and
coming from farmers you know and can talk to.
Local is also connected to values of small-scale
production and community. Consuming locally
grown food helps us become more aware of
what we put into our body, connects us with
the seasons and the region we live in, and
allows us to support foods and
growers we believe in.
Better for your health
There are plenty of benefits from consuming local produce
for our health and for our planet. Local foods tend to
have more nutrients, as fruits and vegetables are allowed
to ripen naturally. Food that travels long distances is often
picked before it’s ripe, which compromises taste and nutritional
value. Additionally, some fruits like pears, bananas
and tomatoes are artificially “ripened” with ethylene gas
before being put on the shelves of the supermarket.
More variety
Smaller farmers grow a variety of products, which you
might not find at the supermarket. If you subscribe for a
weekly produce box to be delivered by your farmer, you
will automatically be exposed to a variety of produce you
might otherwise not buy when shopping for food. In this
way, small farmers can challenge you to try new things,
get out of your comfort zone and become more creative
in the kitchen.
Foods from local growers may contain less (or no)
pesticides
Farmers have to pay an extra fee to become certified
organic. Some small-scale farmers use organic methods
but aren’t certified because they simply aren’t big enough
to be able to afford the certification fees. Even if they
aren’t organic, small farmers tend to use fewer chemicals
than large, industrialized farms.
You can talk to your farmers at your local market and ask
them what (if any) pesticides they use. Many of them also
pay more attention to nourish their soil and rotate their
produce regularly.
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Reduced CO 2 emissions
Opting for produce that doesn’t have to travel long distances
to get to your table is also beneficial for our planet.
Community-supported agriculture (CSA)
programs
In this community-based agriculture program, community
members support the farm through financial contributions,
which are typically paid up-front. The farm then
commits to growing food for the participating members.
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