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WHY BUY LOCAL?
Local food systems provide several advantages over conventional and global markets. Buying locally strengthens regional economies, supports family farms, provides "fresh-from-the-field" foods for consumers, protects the environment, preserves the local landscape, and fosters a sense of community.
Buying local food strengthens our regional economy ...
- Purchasing food that was produced locally or regionally and/or buying products from locally owned businesses allows us to retain economic resources in our area. It keeps our money circulating within our region amongst people we know and care about.
- Buying local food supports family farmers in our community, some of whom have farmed the land for generations.
- Supporting local farms can help retain and create jobs for our region.
- A strong local economy insulates our region from national and global recessions
Buying local, sustainable food provides diverse, high-quality, fresh foods ...
- Locally-produced sustainable food is often fresher and more nutritious than conventional products grown far away and shipped in trucks for several days.
- Buying local allows us to know who made/grew a product, how it was produced, and exactly where it was produced. We can KNOW and ask questions of our veggie, fruit, dairy, and meat farmer! As a result, we, informed consumers, can avoid the mega-industrial farm practices that may concern us.
- Buying local actually increases our choices and our exposure to unique products. Local flavor is quite real and refreshing! Small, sustainable farmers who know their local ecosystem and know the varieties that perform best in their climate and soils, are able to grow and preserve the literally thousands of fruit, vegetable, and grain varieties that exist. Buying local can help bring back the look, feel, and taste of all the amazing variety the land has to offer!
Buying local preserves the natural environment ...
- By supporting local sustainable agriculture, you protect our region's farmland and ecosystems, and hence our food security, from urban sprawl and development.
- Buying local food conserves natural resources. Sixty years ago most families consumed food produced within a 200-mile radius of their homes. Now we regularly consume food produced thousands of miles away. Farm consolidation, cheap fuel, and an extensive transportation system have brought these changes. So now we eat a head of lettuce grown 3000 miles away and the cost and environmental effect of the energy it takes to get it to us far outweighs the benefit of its caloric energy once it's on our table! It is far more environmentally responsible to grow and consume food that can be grown much closer to us. Then we benefit from a fresher, more nutrient-packed food as well!
HOW TO GET BACK TO BUYING LOCAL
- Eat seasonally. We can gradually re-adjust our diets to eat fresh foods that coincide with the growing seasons in our region.
- Put your money where your mouth is. The old saying is true that you get what you pay for. Although the massive buying power and low prices of chain stores can be enticing in the short-term, we must be willing to pay for the real and fair cost of quality items now lest we pay more dearly for global agribusiness’ environmental, health, and social degradation later.
- Chatham Marketplace will help! Together, we can provide a demand and outlet for our locally, sustainably produced foods. Chatham Marketplace will provide you with seasonal meal ideas and recipes—and help relieve you of the January bell pepper dependency! We will also offer many in-store food demonstrations to spark your cooking imaginations. And together, we will journey back to a secure, local food economy, enlivening the rich agricultural heritage in our midst!
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480 Hillsboro Street, Pittsboro, NC 27312 | 919-542-2643 | 8AM - 8PM Every Day
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