West Georgia Locavore Challenge / Political Food Repost

Edit Jusy 1st, 2012:  Today is the launch of the West Georgia Locavore Challenge.  It's chance to challenge those in our community to eat as much local produce and goods as possible.  I had a Blog Post already to go talking about the bash thrown at my house last night in celebration of my niece's birthday.  I included Silver Queen Corn, two locally made hot sauces for the, literally, hundreds of wings, and a local Blue Stilton for homemade Blue Cheese Dressing.  


However, I remembered this post from a year or two ago and thought that it would be a good one to revisit simply because it explains very well what shopping and eating local is all about and it's not about buying everything from local folks, although that would be great.  It's about looking around once in a while and realizing that some of the produce you get from Mega Box Grocery Store can be purchase from someone that lives right around the corner from you.  Maybe make an extra stop to get really fresh squash, spinach, onions, and so on.


Read through this post and take to heart what you can.  In tough economic times, it makes a great deal of sense to keep as much money as close to home as possible and you can never beat the feeling of looking the person who grew your steak or sausage square in the eye.

**Writers Note**:  When I began this post, it was meant to take a different perspective about Local Grown Foods and the economic benefits thereof.  I do have a much larger and comprehensive post in mind in which I Electronically Interview some of the Organic Farmers that I know and get their reasons for doing what they do so that you might get a glimpse into the personal side of what is becoming an ever increasing cottage industry.  Please look for it in the future as it could, quite possibly, change the way you eat.

Let's talk about the food that most people eat from the top down.  I live in the South and our markets include Ingles, Winn Dixie, Piggly Wiggly, and so on.  You get out of work, you're beat, and you need something for dinner so thats where you go since its on the way home and you're in and out in no time.  However, if you read the post "Loss of a Carrollton Icon" you know that I believe in buying local and keeping things in the Community and I have a HUGE problem with Big Box Stores, whether they are groceries or or the All in One stores (Wal Mart, Target, etc.).  I understand the appeal and convenience but let's look at two realities that could drastically change your outlook on how you shop.  What You Buy and Following the Money.

A simple challenge for you:  Walk into your local Huge Outlet Grocery, grab the Produce Guy/Gal, and ask them where the squash came from.  If said employee can tell you without that look of a deer in the headlights, your answer will probably be Guatemala, Mexico, or somewhere other than the U.S and if it does come from the U.S. it is typically a Large Corporate Farm.  With over 350 million people in this Nation it would be hard to imagine feeding everyone without importing a great deal of food or growing in a production related setting.  I don't want to get into the habit of throwing around politically popular words like Locavore or anything but lets be realistic: There is a great benefit to knowing where your food comes from and the people that grow it.

There are the undeniable facts that 1) Other countries don't have food quality and fertilization laws that we do.  2) Most production vegetables are harvested while very young so that they may ripen in warehouses which stops the produce from reaching its full nutritional potential.  3) Most of what you find in the groceries these days is genetically modified.  Want a fun, little experiment?  Buy a tomato from the grocery and try to grow one of the seeds which, outside of a laboratory setting, is impossible.  All of these points have been made numerous times over the past few years and I really don't want to beat a dead horse so, if you're comfortable with eating produce knowing whats stated above, that's fine.  I do from time to time as well but when I can, I buy local.

Now, I know many Organic Farmers and do my best to buy from them for a two main reasons.  The above is the first.  There is no better feeling than to go to a Local Farm and look at the field where my last batch of Chicken and Rice came from ("Hey, Local Farm Guy!  Where did my peppers come from?"  Local Farmer points:  "From Over There."). 

The second is a matter of economics as it relates to my business and it is the second point from above as well.  As I have said before, lets follow the money.  It starts when I buy a few pounds of produce from the Local Farmer then the Local Farmer goes to town and gets a gallon of gasoline, some nails from the hardware, or some other product.  The owner of whatever place Local Farmer takes that money to goes to the Local Butcher and while at the Local Butcher he notices packets of Spice on the counter and decides to try something new.  A few of my dollars just came back to me.  This is Economic Simplicity, I realize, but its also Economic Fact.

I will admit that I am not some self-righteous food freak or Organic Activist and that I buy out of convenience more often than even I am comfortable with.  I buy from the stores that I am excoriating above and realize that some of that money does come back into the Community.  However, I also take the time to go to places like Heritage Farms and see where my other foods come from...and I take time to talk to Jake.  Jake (the young son of the owner of Heritage Farms) and I had a talk during the last Farm Tour and he informed me of his disappointment when his mother wouldn't let him buy a particular T-shirt.  Expecting it to be something offensive, as is the trend these days, I asked and then laughed openly when I heard what it said:  All of Gods Creatures Have a Place...Right Next to the Mashed Potatoes & Gravy.  Not only was it uproariously funny but it did my heart a world of good knowing that Jake was being raised with a minimum of video games and with a realistic knowledge of where his food comes from.  There is also the point that Jakes Family is surviving on what they grow, both nutritionally and economically.

Now, as promised, there is a political angle to this writing.  Mayor Bloomberg of New York wants to ban additional salt in all meals (which makes most of the Nation ask, WTF?).  San Fransisco has banned toys from Happy Meals.  All over the Nation we are watching Government dictate what and how we eat on an ever increasing scale.  To me, its none of Governments business what I eat or how I eat it.  However, instead of grabbing a placard and protesting outside some anonymous Federal or State office, I have devised a much more simple solution:  I buy local and take Government out of the equation as often as I possibly can.

I do want to point out, again, that I know a number of Organic Farmers and some of them do believe that Government has a place in telling us what to do and, if that is their position, that's fine.  However, I would like to point out that most of these people work very hard to grow Organic Produce and bring it to Market.  Knowing this, it gets hard to support a Government that defines "Organic" as loosely as possible in order for larger, corporate farms to be able to sell their product under the title of "Organic" while still using harmful chemicals and questionable growing methods.  This is the same Government that won't let one of the hundreds of USDA inspectors in the Carroll County, GA area go to Jakes Dad's farm and certify his chickens, forcing him to take them to South Carolina or Kentucky to get them processed, which turns a $5.00 bird into an $11.00 bird.  All of this makes Organic more expensive and sometimes too expensive for people to make it a realistic food option.  If this doesn't really bother people and they would like to stick to the idea that only the USDA can save us from farmers who take shortcuts I present to you this challange:  Go to the USDA (that's the United States Department of Agriculture) building in Washington D.C. and find out how many Farmers work there.  The Short Answer is that there aren't any.

I have said for a long time that we need to pay less attention to what happens in California and spend more time thinking about our Communities and Local Issues.  The best place to start with this mindset, in my eyes, is with our food.  Support your local farms as they are not only the place to find some of the highest quality produce but if you have a question or concern you can visit them.  Keep the money at home as I am sure Jake's Dad is sending some that Farm Money to school, local football, and maybe even to the Local Spice Company.  And for the Love of Pete, get Government out of the way of your food.  If you take even a few minutes and Google Organic Growing Regulations for your state, you will be very surprised at what chemicals the larger, corporate farms are allowed to use, by Law, and still be allowed to call them and label them "Organic".  Laws that were passed by our Trusted Elected Officials.

I have put away the Soap Box...For Now,
Rob