Show Family Farmers Some Love

Photo by Isabel Gomes of UC Hansen Agricultural Center

No farms, no food. That's an important message to remember this week (August 1-8, 2010) on National Farmers Market Week. The people who supply your family's food each and every day need your support. Consider these facts from the American Farmland Trust:

Every minute, the United States loses more than one acre of farmland to development. Between 2002 and 2007, this country lost more than 4 million acres of farmland. That's nearly the size of Massachusetts in five years.

Most fresh food is in the direct path of development. About 91 percent of our fruit and 78 percent of our vegetables come from farms near urban areas. As farm and ranch land tends to be ideal for housing and office park development - flat, well drained and reasonably priced - it is rapidly being snatched away for building projects.

Less than one-fifth of U.S. land is ideal for farming. And the most fertile farmland is at the biggest risk of development.

That's the bad news. The good news is...there are lots of ways you can help. Even better, there are many benefits to helping family farmers in your area. By supporting local farmers, you're strengthening your regional economy, and you're reducing the natural resources needed to deliver your food. Most food travels 1,500 miles to reach the average American. That's a lot of gasoline to ship some lettuce.

Did you know? Local food is healthier too. Even with the finest storage facilities, the nutritional value of food starts to degrade rapidly once the produce is harvested. So, the fresher the food, the healthier the benefits.

Here are some easy ways to eat local foods and support local farmers:

1. Visit Farmers Markets. There's nothing better than fresh-picked heirloom tomatoes and sweet corn harvested that morning. Fortunately, it has become easier to find farmers markets across the nation. In 2009, farmers markets increased 13 percent in one year alone. Often, you'll find live music and crafts at these markets too.
2. Buy a CSA membership. When you buy a community-supported-agriculture (CSA) membership, you pay a fee, and you receive fresh produce weekly, based on what the farm harvested. It's a great way to know the farmer who grew your food.
3. Look online. Many family farmers are turning to technology to reach consumers directly.  You can order local foods online, and many deliver right to your home. Some helpful links are listed below.
4. Speak out. Tell local store managers and restaurant owners you'd like to see more local foods in their produce selection and on their menues. Ask them to display signage showing which local farms provided certain food items. Let your political representatives know you want them to support local farms as well.

As I explained in Grocery Gardening, when you buy direct from farmers, your dollars make a difference. Consider these facts:

• Buy direct from farmers = they earn up to 90 cents on the dollar, reports the Eat Local Challenge.
• Buy from traditional markets = farmers earn about 20 cents on the dollar, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

"Agriculture... is our wisest pursuit, because it will in the end

contribute most to real wealth, good morals and happiness."

Thomas Jefferson to George Washington, 1787

Image by Bikeloc - Robert Dubois and Aaron Zueck

Hear more about Robert Dubois and Aaron Zueck of Bikeloc (shown above) on this Nest In Style podcast. I interview these determined cyclists right before they finish a rather grueling, cross-country bike trip to celebrate local foods. Their long journey started in late-April 2010 in Vermont and ends in Portland, Oregon this week. Traveling from potluck to potluck, the cyclists have met with farmers, food producers and ordinary citizens to learn more about their perspectives about local foods in this country.  Hear Bikeloc interview.

Image by Bikeloc - Robert Dubois and Aaron Zueck

Bikeloc's effort was impressive. But, lucky for us, there are plenty of easier ways to eat local foods, support family farmers and enjoy healthier diets.

Learn more:

American Farmland Trust

Bikeloc

Eat Well Guide
Eat Local Challenge

Eat Wild

Local Harvest

USDA

Honest Scrap Award (Or, A Bit About Me)

If you've been following Seasonal Wisdom, you've probably noticed my stories tend to focus on other people. The fact is I'd rather write about other folks and their traditions than myself.

But this post is different. That's because Helen Yoest of Gardening with Confidence and Dan Eskelson of Clearwater Landscapes tagged me for the Honest Scrap Award. They're such nice people, how could I possibly refuse?

The Honest Scrap Award rules are simple. Tell 10 things about yourself. Then ask seven other bloggers to do the same. So, here goes...

A flower lover from way back...

1. A bit of a gypsy, I've lived in cities as diverse as Boston, Orlando, Los Angeles and Washington D.C. Other places I've called "home" include Germany (a small village near the Austrian border); the Idaho foothills and more...
2. All my travels have led me to appreciate the different ways people enjoy life, celebrate in the kitchen and have fun in the garden. Viva la difference!
3. I wish I could be a specialist. I really do. But it wasn't my destiny. Over the years, I've written about everything from jewelry history and agricultural issues to intellectual property rights for organizations in the United States, Europe and Asia.
4. So, what are my favorite topics? That's easy to answer - gardening, seasonal folklore, local foods and healthy living.
   
5. Some people collect stamps. I collect seasonal traditions, folklore and superstitions that reveal interesting facts about the way we used to live. Sure, I love the latest trends, but it's the mix of the old with the new that inspires me most. Believe me: history is stranger than fiction.
   
6. In warmer months, you'll find me in my "work-in-progress" garden. We grow lots of vegetables, herbs and flowers ... particularly the older, rarer varieties.
   
7. To win my heart, it helps if the plant looks pretty, smells good, tastes delicious and plays well with others. Although I've been known to let a few slackers survive...
   
8. Local foods are my passion. I'm blessed to live in a state with delicious pasture-raised animals like grass-fed beef, American Wagyu beef, lamb, bison and elk. As for produce, my first choices are always from local growers or my own backyard.
   
9. Buying local foods is a topic I write about in Grocery Gardening (Cool Springs Press, 2010). You'll also find information about the nutritional benefits of eating vegetables, fruits and herbs, along with tips on planting, preparing and preserving fresh foods.
   
10. Incidentally, none of the Grocery Gardening co-authors had ever met in person before working on this book. We first met on Twitter, and communicated mainly via Skype conference calls, e-mail and other technology tools.  Quite twenty-first century of us, don't you think?
    

So, now that I've shared a bit about me, I'm forwarding the baton to seven more bloggers. But no pressure to participate, please. It's just my way of drawing more attention to your wonderful blogs.

aHa Modern Living

Our Life in Idaho

Bumblebee Blog

Gardener to Farmer

Garden Fresh Living

Red White and Grew

Indigo Gardens