We’ve all heard the phrase “food for thought.” Usually that means someone has just made a comment pertaining to a topic of conversation from a different perspective. By using the phrase, you’re asking for time to “digest” the new idea. But, what about giving thoughtful consideration to the food you put on your table. Now, that’s some real food for thought.
Referencing a study compiled by the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture at Iowa State University in 2001, it was estimated that the average distance food travels from the farm to your plate is 1,500 miles (in 1980). All that travel takes a toll on produce and makes the broccoli, carrots, and apples (and more) lose some of their nutritional value along the way.
If your grandparents were farmers in the 1940s-50s, the grocery store was where you picked up the items not available outside your door. Such was the case for me. My grandparents had a small working farm, and when I came along, my grandmother milked the cow twice each day, slopped the hogs, made her own butter and cottage cheese, and worked in the garden. When harvest time came, days and nights were filled with picking beans, breaking beans, and canning beans (squash, sweet potatoes, pickles, sausage, tomatoes, corn, kraut, chow chow, etc.). Remembering what I would see on the counters that was store-bought didn’t amount to much – spices, salt, pepper, coffee, flour, and King Syrup (that was in a big red tin – 4 pounds and 4 ounces big). My grandfather would take corn to Winebarger Mill, in the next community over, to be ground into cornmeal and paid for it with a “toll,” the share of the corn the miller kept for providing the service.
Oh, how times have changed!
A New Look at Farms
Lily Lipford is the development director for Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture (BRWIA), an organization started as tobacco declined as a cash crop in North Carolina. “Our founding mothers were worried about how farmers and farm families were going to replace the income from their tobacco allotments,” said Lily.
This group of women started BRWIA with their informal potluck suppers where they would share information on different situations they were confronting on their farms. Now, some 20-plus years later, BRWIA is a network of producers who are leaning into a network of people and organizations that keep our communities healthy.
Lily shared, “We have three primary goals with our organization. One is to provide producers (farmers, bakers, ranchers, or anyone who makes products locally) with support they may need. That support can be technical workshops, market channels, or other tools and resources.
“Our second goal is to make local food accessible to all. We know that cost can be a barrier for some, but we have programs to provide assistance to those with SNAP, WIC, and a senior program to encourage purchasing local food.
“And our third goal is increasing the demand for local food by educating the community on why it’s important, how they can engage with local farmers, and where they can purchase.”
The community witnessed the impact of supply chains in real time during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Food Hub, BRWIA’s online farmers market, saw its sales quadruple. Lily said that the Food Hub is low contact, so people felt comfortable placing orders and picking up their food at a specified location. She also observed that sales have leveled off to an extent but haven’t returned to pre-pandemic totals.
“Supporting local food is a win-win-win scenario,” said Lily. “It’s a win nutritionally because fresher food has a higher density of nutrients. It’s a win for the local economy because the money stays in the community; and it’s a win for our local landscapes because local farms contribute to our beauty – it's hard not to see cattle grazing or a Christmas tree farm or a garden almost anywhere you look.”
In addition, the impact of transportation is lessened, and community bonds are strengthened by supporting a local food system.
Creating Your Local Food Network
Supporting and growing a local food network is as easy as going to your local farmers market, eating at restaurants that purchase ingredients locally, supporting other businesses that advocate for local foods, or even helping your neighbor find a “home” for their excess zucchini.
“The farmers market is more than just a place to shop,” said Lily. “There’s a community around it. It’s a place to talk to people and find out new ways to prepare what you purchased.”
Visiting the King Street Market on Tuesday afternoon was an adventure for all the senses – from live music to fresh produce and freshly squeezed lemonade to homemade Greek desserts. There was even someone creating art. So, in addition to finding great things to put on the table, there are opportunities to support neighbors by purchasing gifts, flowers, art, and more.
CSAs are another way that you can participate in a local food network. Community Supported Agriculture allows you to buy seasonal shares directly from a local grower. An investment is made upfront to cover early-season farming costs, and as the harvest comes in, investors receive weekly or bi-weekly boxes of produce. Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP) has a listing of CSA farms in most of Mast Store’s communities.
Weekly farmers markets can be found in almost every community, with some places having several opportunities to buy local food.
Watauga County Farmers Market - Saturday mornings, Boone
King Street Market – Tuesday afternoons, Boone (becomes the Winter Market on Saturdays)
Haywood’s Historic Farmers Market - Saturday mornings, Waynesville
Hendersonville Farmers Market – Saturday mornings
The Curb Market – Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday mornings, Hendersonville
Asheville City Market – Saturday mornings
River Arts District Farmers Market – Wednesday afternoons, Asheville
Saturday Market - Saturday mornings, Greenville
Market Square Farmers Market - Saturday and Wednesday mornings, Knoxville
Soda City Market - Saturday mornings, Columbia
Cobblestone Farmers Market - Wednesday and Saturday mornings, Winston-Salem
Trade Street Farmers Market - First Sundays, Winston-Salem
Historic Roanoke City Market - Daily
Grandin Village Farmers Market - Saturdays, Roanoke
Here are some ideas to keep in mind when visiting your local farmers market:
- Bring cash, including small bills and coins. Most vendors may accept digital payment, but just in case, you’ll be prepared.
- Bring your own reusable bags and a market basket. It’s also a good idea to have an insulated bag for keeping cheese and meats cool.
- Ask questions – you might gain insight into new ways to prepare your food, what restaurants buy their ingredients from the same farmers you do, or tips and tricks to make your purchase last longer.
- Arrive early and walk the whole market before making your purchases. You’ll be able to better order what you buy so the items that are heaviest or need to stay cool can be the last ones in your basket.
More Ways to Engage
Each county has a cooperative extension that has a wealth of information for anyone who wants to learn more about gardening, preserving, beekeeping, etc. From free pamphlets and workshops to soil testing and cooking classes, extensions are educational outreach arms of the nation's land-grant universities and work with farmers, families, youth, and communities.
North Carolina Extension Offices
South Carolina Extension Offices
Tennessee Extension Offices
Virginia Extension Offices
Support local Future Farmers of America chapters. Found in your local middle and high schools, FFA members are our future scientists, veterinarians, farmers, ranchers, and leaders. Watch for their local plant sales and other events to attend and support.
Attend the Farm/City Banquet in your local area. Farm-City Week is celebrated in November and was started as a result of a conversation in 1955 between a Vermont businessman and a member of the Kiwanis Club. The two were concerned about the growing gap between rural and urban populations. They knew that neither farms nor cities can exist without each other, so a campaign promoting mutual respect and cooperation was launched. Today, Farm/City Weeks are celebrated across the country and culminate with a banquet bringing farmers and city folk together for a meal and recognition of local groups and individuals involved in agriculture. These are fun, low-key events bringing together groups who may not have direct contact with each other otherwise.
Help others take advantage of local food opportunities. Many local farmers markets and other agencies accept monetary donations to allow those in the SNAP, WIC, and senior programs to double up their food value when purchasing local foods. The extra dollar is a result of fundraising by organizations to support the ability to get more nutritious food on the tables of low-income families. It's another win-win-win scenario with stimulation to the local economy, better food on family tables, and support and market growth for local farmers.
Make an effort to dine at restaurants that buy ingredients from local farmers. Some restaurants will share the farms, ranches, bakeries, etc. they purchase their goods from on their menus, in-house signage, and social media, while others don't let you know they are supporting local food sources at all. Ask questions at your favorite restaurants and at the farmers market to begin making a list of restaurants (and food trucks) to share with friends and co-workers.
Lily shared during our visit that local food takes on its own flavor that may not be found in other places as seeds adapt to growing conditions – weather, soil, etc. So, this summer, enjoy a taste of home wherever you are and support your local food system.