Do You Know Where Your Food Comes From ?

Wow, I can’t believe it is already July! Where did the month of June go? This weekend we will be celebrating our nation’s Independence. For a lot of people, that means days off from work, cook outs, going to the lake or beach, and generally spending time with family and friends. I hope we can all take some time out of our festivities to remember those who have paid the price (and are still paying the price) for the freedoms we enjoy.

As Americans, we enjoy many advantages that a lot of people around the world do not. One of these “advantages” is an abundant food supply. However, as with all things, sometimes too much of a “good thing” can be bad.

Our nation has really gotten away from the traditional small farm model; most of our food is now supplied by giant industrial food companies such as Monsanto. Because of this, a lot of us no longer know anything about our food: how it is grown, how it is harvested, and if you are a meat eater, what the animals you are eating are fed, how they are housed, how they are slaughtered, etc. This lack of knowledge can create huge problems, particularly when outbreaks of food borne illness (or food poisoning) occur. The larger the supply chain, the harder it is to figure out who caused the contamination.

When you buy locally, you know who your farmer is. By knowing your farmer, you can very often “tour” the farm and see for yourself how the food is produced, harvested, and brought to market. This knowledge can really put your mind at ease because you know firsthand who is handling your food. An added benefit of buying locally is that your food stays fresh longer, without unnecessary preservatives. When you buy locally, often produce will last for 2 weeks or longer; when you buy it in the grocery store, it has already been “traveling” for many days (or weeks) as it is being processed, which is why it will often go bad in your refrigerator within a few days.

If you are on the fence about buying food locally, I would encourage you to do some research on your own. There is a great movie that has just been release nationwide called “Food Inc.” This movie is all about our nation’s food supply, including the effects on farmers, consumers, and the environment. For more information on this movie, and to see if it is showing near you, check out http://www.foodincmovie.com/about-the-film.php