Where you buy your groceries is important.
It’s important for your health – locally grown food is more nutrient-dense and far less likely to be treated with chemical pesticides, herbicides or ripening agents. It’s important for the farmers and producers because they work with great care and passion and their livelihoods depend on your support. It’s important for our future – locally grown food is more sustainable in the long run, especially as climate emergencies and logistical delays become more common. But most importantly, eating local is important for our community. By spending your money locally, you’re supporting Western New York in a direct and long-term way.
When it comes to buying food that was grown or produced locally rather than commercially, the benefits are clear. And according to Caitlin O., a Buffalo-based attorney and mom, it’s probably easier than you think.
“For me, it’s super easy to find local food that can be delivered,” says Caitlin. “For me, it’s easy to find stores that offer local food, and it’s just a short drive to a farm stand or farm to get the food right there.”
As the cost of living continues to rise, many consumers fear that buying local food will become more expensive and that they will no longer be able to feed their families on their limited budgets.
“I think it’s always worth paying a little more for local products,” says Monica, a Buffalo resident and local food lover. “Quality is guaranteed and you’re also supporting our local community. And if you don’t support these communities, they won’t be an option for us in the future.”
Local food depends on the weather and the seasons. If you want to eat local, you should buy the different products at the peak of their growing season. And shopping seasonally is actually the best way to reduce your food costs.
Seasonality also raises the question of access: if buying local food depends on the growing season, how can shoppers commit to eating local produce outside of the summer months?
Asparagus in May. Strawberries in June. Cherries in July, blueberries and peaches in August. Grapes and raspberries in September. Snow peas in October. Parsnips and beets in November. The growing season in Buffalo is actually quite long, and each month brings a wealth of new produce to farmers markets and local grocery store shelves.
“I buy local food, even in winter when nothing is being grown or grown on the farm,” says Caitlin.
Many foods, such as apples, root vegetables, cabbage, and kale, grow well even in the cooler months and store well so they can be eaten year-round. With a little help from greenhouses, local farms can grow a variety of fruits and vegetables year-round.
Local food producers are usually in operation year-round and many products such as honey, maple
Syrup, grains and fermented foods have a long shelf life.
Ultimately, when you choose to buy local food, the money stays in our local economy. Every dollar you spend at a local farm stand, small food producer, or farmers market goes directly to a member of the Western New York community who is far more likely to spend that dollar locally themselves.
Emily Savage of the Savage Wheat Project and Savage Wheat Bakery says, “When you feed your community, your community becomes strong.”
Consumers should feel good about choosing local food. Aside from the health and economic benefits, thinking about where your food comes from can help slow down the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
“It’s a respite from my day-to-day life, which can be hectic and focused on convenience,” says Caitlin. “Having local produce at home or planning a trip to the local market gives me a chance to pause. Shopping locally also gives me the peace of mind that I’m giving my family something healthy to eat.”
How can you do your part to support our local food system and community? First, find resources to help you find farmers markets in your area. Research which stores prioritize locally grown foods. Learn about local food producers and the retailers they support. Right now, this is easier than ever, as Western New York is at the peak of our harvest season. Farmers markets have an abundance of local foods, and it’s a great way to get to know the farmers and producers and ask them how you can shop local out of season.
“It’s really cool to be able to say, ‘I met my farmer at the farmers market.’ You get to meet people and learn about what is being grown and harvested ethically,” says Monica. “Eating locally is how I start my meal planning.”
Eat Local WNY offers a number of resources on its website to help you track down local food, and it also has a Local Food Pledge designed to encourage WNY residents to increase their local food consumption by just 10% this year.
To learn more about the availability, access and benefits of local food, hear more stories from the local food community, or sign the Eat Local WNY Food Pledge, visit eatlocalwny.org.
This series is sponsored by Eat Local WNY.
Eat Local WNY is an initiative aimed at increasing local food consumption in WNY. We believe that food connects a community and that everyone in that community plays a role in ensuring we have a healthy, sustainable food system. Farmers grow and harvest produce while also being good stewards of the land. Producers source their ingredients from local growers and create food we all want to eat. And consumers support growers and producers by purchasing their products at farmers markets, farm stands, through CSAs, or through FreshFix, a local grocery delivery service. When we all do our part, our community thrives. Because when we buy local, we all grow local. www.eatlocalwny.org
The initiative is supported by FreshFix and the UB School of Public Health and Health Professions with funding from the USDA.
