Like many, I have been trying to take small steps toward living a greener lifestyle. We all know that solar energy, driving less, and turning off the water while we brush are good steps to help the planet, but not everybody can put solar panels on their roofs or stop commuting to work. However, there are steps that everyone, including those of us on a limited budget can take.
One of the easier tactics of green living that we can all take part in is eating local produce. While this may at first seem a less obvious solution, it’s an extremely practical step. After all, while we may be able to cut back on consumption, we all have to eat so it makes sense that we should choose our food responsibly. We can make these responsible choices by choosing healthy, fresh products that haven’t been heavily treated with chemical pesticides and haven’t traveled over long distances.
Due to the short commute, produce grown locally is often better for us. It contains more nutrients, it’s generally much fresher, and usually tastes much better. This is because foods that are shipped long distances often are not allowed to completely ripen before being picked, which means that they keep longer as they ripen post-picking, but they do not get the chance to develop their full complement of nutrients and flavor (Schaub, 2011). It is estimated that the average distance a food travels from producer to table is 1,500 miles (Pirog, 2004). Besides losing nutrients over that distance, it is also means a lot of carbon emissions and other environmental unpleasantness as a by-product.
Luckily for us, October is a harvest month. In most parts of the US, there is a surprising variety of locally grown, in-season produce. Think pumpkins, squash, sweet corn, potatoes, carrots; it’s these typical fall comfort foods that are in season now. Of course what is available will vary depending on where you live. Here are some examples.
Your best bet for getting quality local produce is your nearest farmers’ market. Farmers’ markets are becoming more and more popular as people are beginning to realize the value of locally grown produce. These farmers’ markets offer seasonal varieties of home grown fruits, vegetable, and herbs and often the prices are as good or better than the supermarket’s. The only drawback to the farmers’ market is that frequently they are only open one or two days a week as farmers can’t leave their farms for much longer than that. However, I find the weekly trip to the market to be something I look forward to and since I know that it is my only shot at getting produce, I tend to shop less on other days, saving time and money.
Another option is, of course, to grow your own produce. I have a garden every year, and what I pick from my garden always tastes better than store-bought produce. Besides, growing your own means you know exactly where the food came from, how it was grown, and that it’s fresh and safe to eat. Besides that, it’s extremely satisfying to eat baked squash that you grew and picked yourself. Easy fall crops to grow include various squashes, tomatoes, and potatoes.
If you’re still not sure, here is a great website to help you out, put together by the NRDC: http://www.simplesteps.org/eat-local. All states are listed, with the produce available in each broken down by month.
So whether you want to start planting seeds or just take a trip to the market, eating local produce is definitely worth your while. You may even discover new varieties as you begin to explore what is available. You will support local farmers, get fresher food, and have food that just tastes better.
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