Purchasing local products provides many benefits to consumers,farmers, and the community. Here are just some of the advantages:
- Freshness. Fruits and vegetables are usually harvested within 24 hours of being purchased and do not contain the preservatives that are added to products shipped long distances and placed in storage.
- Taste. Produce that is ripened on the vine has better texture and flavor than produce harvested unripe, then treated with chemicals and ripened during shipping.
- Nutrition. Nutritional value declines–often drastically–as time passes after harvesting. When consumed fresh, locally grown produce has more nutritional value.
- Variety. A wider variety of choices is available through local markets. Heirloom and other varieties can offer a rewarding change in flavor, compared to varieties bred for shipping and extended shelf life. Local varieties are often more suitable for canning, juicing, and baking.
- Improving the local economy. When you buy homegrown food, you circulate your food dollars inside the county, helping all sectors of the economy. Buying locally supports diversification on our farms, enabling them to profitably produce a wide variety of food crops, not just animal feed.
- Strengthening producer/consumer relations. When purchasing food locally, consumers can ask how the product was grown and processed, what chemicals were used (if any), and any other questions they may have. People tend to trust individuals they know, and they become repeat buyers.
- Avoiding health hazards. Agricultural chemicals banned in the United States are still being sold to other countries, and produce grown with these chemicals sometimes is exported to the U.S. In contrast, many small-scale farmers use minimal amounts of approved chemicals, or none at all.
How to Use this Guide
HomeGrown enables you to search for local food sources in two ways:
- By product category . If you want to find a source for beef or tomatoes,search in the appropriate food category. You’ll find the name, address, and phone number of each farmer or merchant, times when you can visit, and a description of what is for sale. Some farmers and businesses offer a variety of products and are listed in several categories.
- By name. If you know the name of a farmer or business and want to learn more, look in the producers directory. It includes an alphabetical listing of everyone included in the guide.
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