Support Local Agriculture!

Since reading The Omnivore's Dilemma, a fascinating book by Michael Pollan, I've become more aware of the underlying costs when I buy "cheap" food that has come an incredible distance. While perhaps more convenient to me personally to buy something that was produced in Chile, shipped here on a refrigerated semi-truck, and placed in a tidy stack at Kroger, it's probably costing me more in a larger sense.

I am competing with my own long-haul produce for fuel, after all, not only in the transportation costs to store it and then bring it to me, but in the natural gas required for making synthetic fertilizer and the petrochemicals used for producing pesticides. I'm also competing with that juicy steak, too, since the corn that either fattens him up or ends up in my car as ethanol is heavily subsidized by the taxes we all pay.


Ok, ok. But what can we DO about it? Well, ok, I'm still shopping at my local Kroger, and the incredibly cheap organic bananas I buy are not grown in the U.S., but I feel increasingly compelled to support local farmers when I can by purchasing directly from them throughout the growing season. I hope that they are able to actually make a decent living without sacrificing responsible methods of farming or becoming dependant on subsidies which we support through taxes.

There are some very helpful websites out there designed to help you find out where the farmers are in your area. Two that I have used recently are www.pickyourown.org and www.localharvest.org.

This past week I had an opportunity to go on a circuit to 3 different farms which are relatively near my home. The first stop was Akin Farm in Terrell to get beautiful red potatoes, yellow onions, garlic, and pick-my-own Roma green beans. Proprietor Wendy Akin threw in some fresh bay as a gift. She and her husband are retired, and they've been farming those several acres organically for twenty-two years. The prices were very reasonable, and it felt good to know that the exchange of their good produce for our money was helping both of us and hurting neither.

From there I went north to Commerce to pick up some fresh organic blackberries from a small, family-run operation that the owner is developing slowly as a retirement project when he no longer drives a truck for a living. The berries were incredibly huge, flavorful, clean, and ranged from perfectly ripe and sweet to slightly tart. The price was way below what you would pay at the grocery store--even for conventionally grown berries. The seeds were large, but unless my appendix tells me otherwise, it was worth it!

And by the way, the blackberry cobbler we had for dessert that night was top notch. My mom made a traditionally southern crust, which is a butter pastry crust with a lift, courtesy of a little baking powder. She always sinks a layer of crust inside the pie, so you get this bonus layer enveloped by a thick, luxurious filling of whole berries, sugar, and flour. Mmmmm.

The rest of the berries I tossed with some sugar and put into freezer bags to wait until I decide to make preserves, desserts, or fruit salads in the coming year. Eating more locally also means eating more seasonally--buying when things are ripe and putting up surplus to enjoy later from the freezer. There's something very satisfying about seeing your freezer full of food that you put up yourself!

Also in Commerce was Windy Meadows Farm, which offers organic-pastured chicken, eggs, beef, and lamb. This is also family owned and operated, with a processing facility on site. They actually encourage people to come out and look at the facility--it's spotless. I haven't had a chance yet to cook the chicken I purchased, but will let you know how it turns out. I've a hankering for fried chicken and mashed potatoes with gravy that will not be denied! The prices are similar to what you'd pay at the grocery store for organic meats, which could be affordable if families make meals which are more often vegetarian than meat-centered.

I was pleased with my first foray into the local food scene; it's very encouraging to see people making an effort to grow food responsibly and sustainably.

A happy Jersey calf at Windy Meadows Farm
(Jerseys are used for milking, not meat, so this happiness should continue for a good long while).