The scene: Dirty farmers, artists, musicians, students, retirees, hipsters with upcycled shopping bags and soccer moms with strollers…
As locally grown food increases in popularity, you’re just as likely to see skinny jeans as mom jeans at either of Oxford’s two farmers markets.
Word on the street: It’s hip to buy local.
But “locavorism” isn’t simply the latest food fad…It’s a revival of the way we human beings have eaten for most of our history: Consuming what grows best where we live.
“I only buy local _____” sounds great and all, but it’s even better when we understand why the way we shop matters.
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So why does local food matter?
•Safer food. Food that comes from just up the road is less susceptible to harmful contamination and allows consumers to ask farmers directly how their food is grown.
•Smaller carbon footprint. Because food doesn’t have to travel thousands of miles to get to your fork!
•Fresher, healthier, better tasting food. Seasonal veggies and fruits harvested, distributed, and eaten on the same day can be enjoyed at the peak of its nutritional value.
•Keeping local dollars local. When you hand a dollar to a local farmer or artisan, you’re helping build a thriving local food economy.
•Community building. Small farms are gathering places for like-minded people, unifying communities, offering educational opportunities, and drawing visitors from around the world.
Yokna Bottoms Farm is a Certified Naturally Grown CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farm located in Lafayette County on the Yocona River bottomland. For more information about the farm, call Betsy at 662-380-2367.
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This article originally printed in The Local Voice #200 (published March 20, 2014). To download a PDF of this issue, please click HERE.
