Why We Eat Local

1. You stimulate the local economy. When you pay your local farmer for your food he is most likely going to turn around and spend that money in your area. Maybe even to your business. As small business owners we always try to support small, local businesses.

2. It's organic. There's a lot of reasons to eat organic, it's pesticide, chemical, and hormone free. Your ground beef is from one cow (as opposed to thousands mixed together), your milk isn't going to do weird things to your pre-teens body, and your don't have to worry about the chemicals on the skin of your produce.

3. It's cheaper than organic bought at the store. I've heard a lot of people say they don't eat organic food because it's too expensive, but when you shop at the Farmer's Market or from a local farmer it can be a lot cheaper than the store. Here's a little trick: go the the Farmer's Market right as it's closing and most of the vendors and farmers will give you whatever they're selling for super cheap. Sometimes even free.

4. You know exactly where your food is coming from. You can meet the farmers, talk with them, see their families, and sometimes even visit their farms. My kids loved meeting the animals at the farm where we got our chickens. There was no gross handling of the animals or environments they live in. We could see it all.

5. You eat what's in season. When you buy a fruit or vegetable from around the world it's picked when it's very under ripe. Then, chemicals are used to preserve it and ripen them in the store. When you buy local your produce is picked at it's maximum ripeness and flavor.

6. It's a learning experience. If you want the ultimate in cheap and local plant a garden. This week my kids learned about the parts of a plant (leaves, stem, and roots) and now they get to plant their own seeds and watch them grow. Digging in the dirt, picking their dinner, and working outside is therapeutic, relaxing, fun, and a great learning experience for kids.