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Local Food: Be What You Eat by Elizabeth Ferry "Why would I care where my food comes from?" asks the Healthy Skeptic. "Food is food; calories are calories. All food in the United States is subject to the same rules of the Food and Drug Administration. Why does it matter if my food comes from a near-by farm or one in California, as long as it nourishes me?" America has a vast variety of food to choose from and a seemingly endless supply of it. Most of us are fortunate to have access to more sheer calories than we need in a day. That is not to be taken lightly. But for a growing number of people, quantity of food is not to be confused with quality of food. They make a distinction between food that is refined (and may later need to be enriched with nutrients that were taken out in the process) and whole foods that undergo minimal processing or are eaten fresh. They find that if they want to know what’s in their food, they need to know where it comes from. The concept of local food is gaining importance across the country. Because it represents the very opposite of fast highly-processed food, the movement is called Slow Food. Merely a Lifestyle Indulgence? Critics of Slow Food charge that it is merely a lifestyle indulgence for people with ample time and money. They argue that real people who work for a living, juggling too many demands and too many pressures, have time to be practical — not precious — about the food they eat. Proponents of Slow Food say that they are not idealizing the past, but rather, trying to retain what is valuable from it. They do not want to return to the food supply of one hundred years ago, but they resist swallowing modern, processed foods without a thought. Slow Fooders would argue that some of the tradition, simplicity, and flavors of the past are worth preserving, savoring, and updating. Each of us has his or her own definition of what is a meaningful interest in food and what is excessive. Media advertisements speak loudly to the benefits of factory processed food. This article explores the other side of the issue, the potential value of local farm products. It is an important subject for two fundamental reasons. First, it relates to food, a daily necessity of life. Second, local farms are in decline and are an endangered species. They need consumer support in order to survive. Where consumers spend their food dollars today has both an immediate and a long-term impact on the kind of food choices we will have tomorrow. Regional Security Food in America travels an average of 1,200 miles — almost half way across the country — between producer and consumer. Much of that food originates in parts of the country with large populations, such as California and Florida, and does not go far to reach its market. That means that the remaining food is traveling a great distance for the average to be 1,200 miles. Consider beef from South America, organic produce from Australia, apples from New Zealand, and oranges from Israel. Each of these are common items. But what would happen if we came to rely solely on distant sources for our daily food? What happens when transportation costs, national crisis, or natural disaster makes it financially or physically impossible to deliver the food? Regional security includes the ability to provide at least some, if not all, of the food that is consumed within a geographic area. Whether you define our region as the Mid-Atlantic states or as the Upper Valley, there is value in having food that is raised close to home. Buying food from regional or local sources is one way to ensure that this option remains open to us, both now and in the future. Traveling Takes it Toll Whether it is your food traveling to you, or you going on vacation, we all know that travel is expensive. Transportation costs are figured into the cost of producing food. But much of the cost is absorbed by subsidies funded by federal taxes. This, in part, is what allows food from a distance to cost less than food that comes from just down the road. In addition to the hidden cost in dollars and cents, we need to consider other expenses to the environment and to the consumer. Transportation means burning of fossil fuels, which releases pollutants into the air. Food that travels a great distance is picked before it is ripe. Fruit that ripens under artificial conditions may not develop the same level of phyto-nutrients, for example, as fruit that is ripened on the tree or vine. This may mean less than optimal nutritional value for the consumer. There is also the question of what varieties of fruits and vegetables are grown in the first place. Growers may choose to grow a variety that travels well but has mediocre flavor over a type whose qualities are the other way around. So while consumers may have a range of items to choose from, they are unlikely to have a range of quality choices. This trade-off might be worth it if we were a nation of famine. But we are a nation of excess. Why are we faced with the choice of mediocre excess when what we really want is a sufficient amount of higher quality? "Food with a Face": Counting the Value of Local Farm Products Japan’s capital, Tokyo, is the largest metropolitan area in the world. Perhaps it is fitting that this culture, with its rapid transformation, has come up with a word that names one valuable aspect of food from local farms. The word is seikatsu, which translates as "food with a face." Seikatsu is more about relationship and social science than it is about laboratory science. "Food with a face" is grown locally (wherever that might be) and eaten locally. Farmers and consumers know each other. The food often has a history in the region, and is part of local traditions and customs. This can give intangible, but meaningful satisfaction to farmers and consumers alike. They name such benefits as   the anticipation of foods coming into season   the pleasure of tasting exceptional freshness;   the confidence that comes with knowing how the food has been raised, and the ability to avoid elements, such as genetic engineering, that the consumer may not want. The Value of Tradition Farming is a tradition in the Upper Valley. Pastoral scenes of hillside farms define the region to natives and visitors alike. As much as farming has grown crops to feed people and livestock, it has also grown qualities like self-sufficiency, independence, and community for many generations. The most recent census figures show a difference in farming trends in Vermont and New Hampshire. Interestingly, New Hampshire is seeing an increase in overall acreage and the number of full-time farms. The average size of the farm, however, is down eleven percent. In Vermont, all trends are downwards. The number of full-time farms, the average size of farms, and the number of acres in farming are all in decline. Many farmers find that they have to work full time off the farm in order to afford farming on a part-time basis. In the short term, this means that consumers will continue to have a choice of local farm products, though from a limited number of sources. The picture is different when one looks to the future. Who will be the region’s farmers in the future? What will inspire young people to go into agriculture if they can’t make a living at it? Will we lose our local knowledge of how to raise food and how good it tastes? Buying local farm products now is one way to increase the likelihood of local farms existing in the future, a continuity of tradition in the midst of change. Buying Local Keeps the Green in the Valley Consumers are a powerful factor in any economic equation. If the concepts of slow food, regional food security, food with a face, or tradition are appealing, there are a variety of steps that consumers can take. Here is a short list to get you started. Buy local farm products. Farmers sell their goods at farmstands, farmers markets, and at locally-owned food stores, such as general stores and co-ops. The Co-op Food Stores are proud to do business with about 30 local farms. Learn when local food items are in season and buy them when available. The growing season in the Upper Valley starts in mid-April and runs through mid-November. The Co-op carries an ever-changing array of fresh, local produce in these months. You can extend the season by freezing, canning, or storing fruits and vegetables for eating through the winter months. Think more than "produce" when you think "local." The Co-op carries local farm products in almost every department. Our offerings, in season, include culinary herbs, wild edibles (mushrooms and fiddleheads), dairy products (from sheep, cows, and goats), flowers, garden transplants, fresh and hard cider, holiday greens, and sweeteners such as honey and maple syrup. Consider growing some of your own. Whether you grow herbs in a flower pot or a cherry tomato in a container, growing anything on your own will increase your interest in local farm products. Start small, start anywhere. If you want to increase your support of local farms or get back to basics with slow food, give yourself permission to start anywhere. Don’t try to make big changes in your eating patterns; realistic goals are more sustainable than sweeping ones. If you like the change, make mental note of your satisfaction. Are there other areas where you might want to branch out? The Co-op is a Source of Information In addition to carrying local farm products, the Co-op is a source of educational information. For example:   Spring Classes include offerings on gardening and the basics of food preservation. Several cooking classes include ingredients that will soon be available from local sources, including culinary herbs, mushrooms, vegetables, and fruits.   "Summer in the Valley" displays feature information about summer fruits and vegetables and recipes for preparing them.   Dairy Day on June 23 and Harvest Festival on September 15 include sample tastings from local farm producers.   Experience gardening first hand as a volunteer in the Co-op’s Harvest Partners Garden.   The Co-op lending library, located upstairs in the Hanover store, has books on gardening, preserving food, and a variety of cookbooks.   The Co-op Cookbook has information about using what’s in season and at hand for making nutritious meals. Elizabeth Ferry is the Co-op’s Member and Community Outreach Coordinator.