Support Your Local Farmer

I know people are concerned about what they consider to be the food crisis. I know they're worried that the government's subsidizing of farmers growing corn for ethanol will mean more food shortages for us, since the farmers will then grow corn for ethanol and not for food. But there is another way to look at that. Maybe instead of a problem, this can be a chance to improve our whole food system and take it in a more sustainable direction.

If you want good, healthy food grown sustainably and in season, consider supporting your local small farmers. You know the ones I mean--the ones who sell their produce at farmers' markets and through CSA's. Quite frankly, the food is amazing. I haven't bought produce other than certain items that aren't grown locally (like mushrooms) from a big box store in months. I've grown lettuce, kale, spinach, beets and beet greens, snow peas, michili, and radishes all in my tiny backyard garden. Lamb's quarters have provided themselves for free, as have sunflowers. I've purchased supplementary spinach, kale, bok choy, lettuce, green onions, green garlic, carrots and potatoes from local small farmers since the farmer's markets opened in late April/early May. I've found no-spray local strawberries and put up jam, and tomorrow I'm going after blueberries. My family has eaten fantastic sausage, pork chops and more from that same farm. My own apple tree in the backyard is laden with apples, and a friend's family has a tree full of cherries. Another friend has grapes she doesn't want, as I've mentioned before, and I've also purchased a grapevine of my own. The food is available, and it's wonderful. It's not that hard to do this. It just takes an open mind and a commitment to quality. The local farmers are wonderful people I would never have met if I hadn't decided to get out of the big-box rat race. If I help support them I'm also helping myself to better food and ultimately, better health. (For one thing, I'm not worried about getting a tomato contaminated with E-Coli. Last year it was spinach, this year it's tomatoes. What next?) In the wake of GMO's, E-Coli, and food labeling problems, supporting my local farmers sounds like a win-win to me.