ith the recent release of the Environmental Working Group’s 2016 “Dirty Dozen” and “Clean 15” lists it’s the perfect time to source locally grown produce available near you.
Whether it’s a u-pick farm, a farm-stand, a weekly farmer’s market, co-op or local CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), there’s bound to be an opportunity to source organically grown, locally farmed produce near you. Oftentimes, even in big cities, where farmland is scarce, farmers markets are booming with popularity and popping up all over the place.
Time is precious, I understand completely, so I went ahead and compiled a few websites that should help speed up the process of finding a local CSA near you! Healthy Change #20 is to start buying local and save some cash!
- Local Harvest allows you to search by city/state to find local farms, farmers markets, restaurants, grocery stores, food co-ops, u-pick farms and farm stands near you. Click the drop down button at the top to find what you’re looking for. Subscribe by email to be informed of all upcoming events in your area.
- Eat Well allows you to search by zip code for local and sustainable foods near you. What I really love is their search bar to find local restaurants who are committed to serving sustainably sourced food. Bookmark this site on your phone and never be left wondering if junky-fast-food is your only option again!
- United States Department of Agriculture Local Food Directories is another good option for finding farms, farmers markets, CSAs and food hubs*. Do be sure to ask if they’re organic, as this website is not primarily focused on organically/sustainably grown crops, but focuses more on locally grown.
- ATTRA Sustainable Agriculture is a national sustainable agriculture assistance program, developed and managed by the National Center for Appropriate Technology. This website allows you to click on your state for a list of local farms, farmers markets and food hubs, as well as links to other resources about local foods in your area.
- Bountiful Baskets is a CSA we use from time to time. Granted not a “local” choice, they are a yearlong CSA, and in my neck of the woods, local CSAs just don’t run year round. Bountiful Baskets is volunteer run and offers “baskets” of organic (or non-organic) produce every other week for $25 ($15 for non-organic) each, with additional organic (and non-organic) add-on items including bread, fruit, veggies, granola, etc. These items are delivered to a local drop site for pick up. Click the link above to see if they deliver near you. Click here to see photos of past baskets and add on items.
What are you waiting for? It’s time to buy local, buy organic and save some cash!
*Food hubs are “businesses or organizations that actively manage the aggregation, distribution, and marketing of source-identified food products to multiple buyers from multiple producers, primarily local and regional producers, to strengthen the ability of these producers to satisfy local and regional wholesale, retail, and institutional demand.” It’s a supply-and-demand world, be sure your local food hub knows it’s organically grown produce that you want!
