Here are a few important reasons to shop local:

Local is healthier and tastes better!
Most of the food in the grocery store looks nice and ripe however for it to be ripe on the shelves and travel the average 1,800 miles it takes to reach your grocery store, it’s picked very, very green.  New research is finding that many nutrients in food are created when the food ripens so when fruits and vegetables are harvested early, these nutrients are not allowed to form and are missing from the food you buy.  Local producers know that their food travels fewer miles so they allow their food to ripen in the ground or on the vine longer.  When you buy locally grown food, you get more nutrients and in turn, you get fresher and better tasting produce.

Buying local saves energy and helps the environment.
We’re consuming about 400 gallons of oil per year per citizen for agriculture.  This is a very close second to our vehicle consumption. Organic, non-local, food still travels that 1,800 mile journey to the grocery store.  At Locally Harvested For You, we work directly with farmers and producers so your food is traveling fewer miles and using less gas.

By reducing our carbon footprint, limiting delivery miles, and promoting sustainable, ethical farming practices, we are ensuring the long-term preservation of our land and health of our communities. Our producers are good stewards of their land, using only sustainable and/or organic practices. Buying local means you can talk directly to the farmer growing your food and find out what they do and how they do it, encouraging them to be responsible stewards of a healthy planet.

For more information on eating local, see the OEFFA guide.

Support your local economy.
Most profits of the industrial food system go to a middle-man or giant agribusiness CEO thousands of miles away. Spending your dollars in the community keeps your money cycling within the local economy, providing economic opportunities and a flow of monies to a thriving community. Spending money through Locally Harvested For You helps more money for each product go directly to the producer, reducing the loss of family farms that causes rural communities to deteriorate. Supporting small farmers preserves open space, jobs, and the security of a local, healthful food supply.