Where can I find local produce and products?
In collaboration with localharvest.org, FoodRoutes has developed an online map that can help you find locally-produced food near you. This mapping technology combines multiple directories from organizations around the nation into one powerful database. In the directory, you'll find descriptions, phone numbers, addresses, web sites, crop lists, and directions to make local food purchasing that much easier. Your local farmers market, CSA, or farm stand is a few clicks away! Try it now.
The following list links you to descriptions of local food operations found around the country. Many of these sources can be found in our Find Good Food map:
CSA Farms
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is an arrangment or partnership made between community members and a particular local farm. In a CSA farm, consumers can purchase seasonal "shares" which entitle them to weekly food allowances. Shareholders visit the farm or another pickup location at a scheduled time every week to get their food. Some CSAs may even deliver to your door.
Although there are usually a limited number of shares, which often have to be paid upfront, the CSA provides a stable relationship for both the consumer and the farmer. Members typically receive a number of benefits including:
- Fresh, healthy produce (and sometimes meats)
- Satisfaction for supporting local business
- Knowledge of where their food comes from
- Newsletter or updates from their CSA
- The opportunity to visit and help out at the farm
- Invitations to farm events
Farmers also prosper from the CSA relationship:
- CSA farmers can focus all of their efforts on growing quality foods, instead of spending time marketing the produce.
- Farmers are guaranteed a steady income, allowing for security and planning.
- Farmers benefit from the relationship with community.
Members may also choose to join a CSA as part of a group. This has several advantages over individual memberships, including:
- Your congregation, workplace or group may be able to become a CSA dropsite.
- It is easier to split a share if your household can't manage a full one, or to find someone to take your share when you are away.
- Your group provides support if you are not used to cooking and using fresh produce, and provides companions to share cooking ideas and meals with.
- You can pool resources to buy a share for people with lower incomes or for a food pantry.
[From Portland's Bounty, 2001, p. 11]
If you are considering becoming a member of a CSA, here also are some important guidelines for helping you choose one:
- Call the farmer and ask questions about the farm, growing practices, history, etc.
- Contact several different farms and look over their materials.
- Visit the farm?call first; some farms restrict visits to certain days or times.
- Choose a farm that suits your lifestyle (harvest size, varieties, distribution days, pickup locations, location of farm, etc.)
- Ask about the "extras"?community or special events, newsletter, recipes, work days, etc.
- Select a CSA farm, "Support your local grower," and enjoy the bounty!
[From Portland's Bounty, 2001, p. 11]
Information in this section gathered from:
Farmers Markets
Farmers markets come in many different sizes and forms, providing a wide range of opportunities for both the consumer and the farmer. For one thing, markets are usually the most convenient way to purchase local goods. Producers from around the area will bring their produce to a centralized location on a periodic basis throughout the growing season. Consumers have the opportunity to browse the goods and shop around for the best prices. Since most farmers markets are in the city, consumers don't have to drive out to the farm to get their produce, making it especially convenient for those without cars.
Farmers markets can also help boost regional economic development by:
- Replacing imported out-of-state products with in-state products
- Transfering wealth from urban to rural communities
- Capturing tourist dollars
- Promoting increased commercial activity in central business districts
In order to make fresh farmers market foods more widely accessible, some farmers markets now accept coupons from the Women Infants and Children's (WIC) Farmers Market Nutrition Program. This program provides vouchers for women, children and low-income seniors, giving them the opportunity to purchase fresh local foods at farmers' markets throughout the country. See WIC's Farmers Market Nutrition Program Website for more information on this new program.
[Information compiled from Portland's Bounty, 2001, p. 14.]
Farm Stands, On-Farm Markets, and U-Picks
The farm stand and on-farm market give you the opportunity to purchase goods directly from farmers at their own independent locations. These may vary from small sheds or trucks selling one seasonal crop like strawberries or corn, to warehouse-sized year-round operations with a diversity of products. While farm stands and markets along the road are typically well-placed for motorists passing by, consumers may be drawn to less convenient locations if the incentives are high enough.
A U-Pick farm gives consumers the unique opportunity to harvest their own produce (typically fruit). Usually operating only during the summer and fall, U-Picks may offer a variety of items including strawberries, blueberries, kiwis, pumpkins, and more.
Consumers choose to buy from these sources for a variety of reasons:
- On-farm direct-marketing operations eliminate middlemen and typically offer lower food prices.
- They are a good source for high-volume consumers, especially for those doing canning or preservation, since they offer fresh foods at reasonable bulk prices.
- They allow consumers the opportunity to meet your farmer and observe the farm.
Farmers also benefit from farm stands, u-picks, and on-farm markets by:
- Receiving more profits by avoiding middlemen
- Creating additional income or diversified market channels
- Enjoying one-on-one relationship with consumers
- Having the convenience of selling and marketing from their farm
[See Portland's Bounty, 2001, p. 22]
Note: Buyers should be aware that some farm stands may sell out-of-state produce. Make sure you ask the farmers where their food comes from.
Food Cooperatives
"Food cooperatives, or food co-ops, are member-owned retail businesses dedicated to serving the community by providing the highest quality grocery items at the best value" {from Portland's Bounty, 2001, p. 24]. They are typically owned by members who pay fees to use co-op services. Most times you can buy from a co-op even if you are not a member, but membership usually provides multiple benefits including:
- A voice in co-op policies
- Discounts or rebates for patronage
- The opportunity to volunteer time at the co-op
Typically, co-ops offer a variety of local products, which should be available regularly. Co-ops are dedicated to consumer activism, quality, and honesty?giving the member confidence in their food purchases. They often reuse bags and containers, and encourage ecologically sound consumer practices.
[See Portland's Bounty, 2001, p. 24]
Be sure to check out these Co-op Links:
Buying Clubs
Food Buying Clubs are groups of people who place warehouse orders together for supplies. These clubs are often run by volunteer members, who perform most of the decision-making, receiving, distribution, and business tasks. They offer a variety of benefits for the consumer:
- Opportunity to save money through bulk purchases
- Ability to purchase specialty items not normally available
- Source of purchasing staples that aren't available locally or seasonally
- Volunteering possibilities
- Opportunity to learn job skills through management of buying club
[Adapted from Portland's Bounty, 2001, p. 25.]
For information on starting a Food Buying Club, you can order a kit from the National Cooperative Business Association. Their Food Buying Club Resource Kit includes a video, a book, and steps and tips for starting a buying club. To order check out their web site or contact them at:
NCBA
1401 New York Ave, NW
Suite 1100
Washington, DC 20005-2160
1-800-636-6222
Grocery Stores
Some supermarkets and retail grocery stores offer a selection--albeit a limited one--of locally grown and produced items. This option offers a convenient way for consumers to purchase fresh local foods while doing their regular shopping.
Consumers should be careful, however, since some items labeled 'local' may actually come from out-of-state sources. Also, some grocery stores do not buy directly from local farmers, but through food distributors. It would be wise to ask your produce manager about the sources of 'local' labeled food.
If your store does not carry local foods, make a suggestion that they start buying food from local farmers. As Portland's Bounty suggests, "Express your interest in buying from local farmers and let them know if you are willing to pay more for fresh local produce. As a consumer, you have tremendous power, not only through the power of the dollar, but through your ability to educate" [2001, p. 26].
Restaurants
Some specialty, alternative, and gourmet restaurants use ingredients from local producers. As with grocery stores, you may have to ask your restaurant about the exact sources of their food.
A good source for information on restaurants that offer local foods is the Chefs Collaborative. The Chefs Collaborative is a national network of more than 1,000 members of the food community who promote sustainable cuisine by celebrating the joys of local, seasonal, and artisanal cooking. Founded in 1993, the Chefs Collaborative is the only culinary organization that provides its members with tools for running economically healthy, sustainable food-service businesses and making environmentally sound purchasing decisions. They publish a guide The Farmer-Chef Connection, a good source for farmer and restaurant collaboration, and their Guide to Good Eating to help diners locate Chefs in their network. You can visit their website or contact them at:
Chefs Collaborative
262 Beacon Street
Boston, MA 02116
TEL: (617) 236-5200
FAX: (617) 236-5272
info@chefscollaborative.org
Local Sources References
- Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture's (PASA) publication Southwestern Pennsylvania Consumer Guide to Farm Fresh Products
- California Farm Fresh Guide from the Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF)
- Portland's Bounty, by Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon's Interfaith Network for Earth Concerns, 2001
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