Help! How to buy locally grown food?

Question

I read about reducing your carbon footprint and part of it was buying only locally grown food. I don't drive and walk, bike, and bus to everywhere I go.

There are two grocery stores in my town, both major chains that I don't believe offer anything locally grown. The farmers markets and co-ops are impossible to get to without driving a good ways.

Is buying locally grown impossible unless you buy a car? Doesn't that defeat the purpose?

Answer 1

What do you have against the poor farmers in third world countries that depend on us buying food from them so that their children don't starve ? do you hate poor children that much that you would be happy to see them starve ? shame on you !

Answer 2

You could plant your own garden!

Answer 3

I hope this helps. Do you have a friend that can take you or perhaps you can contact a local grower and find out where they sell. Many chains do carry locally grown food I know Wal_mart dose.-------http://www.mercola.com/2006/aug/17/how_t... http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006/08/...                                                                    http://www.localharvest.org/

Answer 4

I know how you feel.  My nearest farmer's market is 30 miles away--not really worth the gas I'll waste to get there.  The only thing I can think of for you is to find a group of friends and all cram into 1 car.  Then at least there will be multiple people buying local, but only 1 car going.  Also, as someone else suggested, some chains do offer local produce.  I'd ask the produce manager at those chain stores.  At the very least, he/she might be able to let you know where you can look for local produce.  Good luck to you.

Answer 5

Near enough all towns have allotments or markets and if there isn't one try and take a bus to the nearest one and if that isn't possible buy a bike, you can also apart from get some locally grown produce get some good exercise!!!

Answer 6

Perhaps there's a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) option in your town?  The CSA farms deliver produce to pick up points or to your home, depending on the CSA.

Do you have a CraigsList.org for your area?  If so, try posting a request for local food in the Farm & Garden & other applicable sections. You might get to make an arrangement w/ a farmer or hobby grower.

Also, some of the chain stores sell a degree of local produce. It's worth contacting the big grocers to urge them to sell locally produced food.

  

I don't think it has to be all or nothing. I look for opportunities to buy as much locally as possible. When there are no local options,  there's still a choice to be made between apples trucked 800miles vs. apples shipped from far overseas.

Answer 7

What??

Uh, ok, if you want to buy locally grown food you should stop at these "markets" that are on the side of the road or at a specific area they have for sales of this kind.  

Star by asking your grocery store manager if they know of any place like this, most likely that would be one person who does know.