The term “localvore” is being used with more frequency these days, referring to people who eat only locally grown food. Found in farmers markets, roadside stands, backyard and patio gardens, local food is heralded for its superior taste and freshness. Some people even preserve in-season food to eat during winter months. Eating locally grown food supports local businesses and farmers and gives us more opportunity to learn about how food is grown. It also helps to reduce the need for excessive use of preservatives and pesticides, allows food to be harvested when it is ripe, and reduces the length of the journey needed from field to table.
Although it may not be practical to entirely change our food consumption, choosing local food whenever possible is part of a process of deepening our attitudes toward food. By supporting the revival of better local farming practices, we contribute to better health for our bodies and for our communities. We can become more attuned to the cycles of nature. We can be reminded that a good place to start changing the world is from where we are now. Being more sensitive to food production is one step that can be made in developing a more sustainable culture in which we are more conscious of our relationship to the planet. Let us increase our awareness of our interdependence with creation and of how we are sustained by the mysterious and beautiful cosmos!
