I meet a lot of people who are eager to support their local farms and champion organically grown produce but are unsure of how. The issues in our current Industrial food system are daunting and it can be difficult to know how we can participate in the good, especially if we are unable to be farmers ourselves. I’ll attempt to give you guys some ideas of small (but really, big!) steps you can take to being a part of the change.
Formulate your reason for why you care. Educate yourself on the current state of our food system and decide what you think about it. Become acquainted with some of the issues in your local community in relation to food (food desserts, crop price inflation, market supply-and-demand challenges, malnourishment or poverty, soil and climate conditions, etc). Talk about these issues at the dinner table and educate your children. Ask your local farmer’s about some of the challenges and limitations they encounter. Observe your local environment. This will be your foundation for eating responsibly and caring enough to do something about it.
Visit your local farm when tours are offered. Ask good questions-- not in an interrogative way but in humility with genuine curiosity. Your local farmer is well-acquainted with the challenges and benefits of growing food in your specific area. Try to understand and feel both the hardships and joys that farmers experience on a daily basis. Be students and eager learners. Ask about what makes your local soil unique and do your research.
Enjoy getting to know your farmers at the local Market. Discover what’s in season and enjoy the abundance of different fruits and vegetables available in each unique month. As much as you can, try to eat seasonally. If you are able, join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) in order to supply your local farmer with the initial investment that they need in order to produce food for their neighbors-- in return, you get to enjoy the abundance of what comes out of the field.
Sacrifice a free Saturday to participate in what it takes to grow your food. Ask the farmer if there is a tedious or mundane task on the farm that you can take off their plate. Spend a couple hours doing a less "romantic” farm chore like pulling weeds. Don’t just enjoy the fruits of their work but be willing to get your hands dirty and get sweaty, too.
Expand your palate. Try new vegetables that you don’t normally fit into your diet. Try a new recipe and exercise your creativity in the kitchen. Cook a homemade meal using local ingredients for your family. See to what extent you can eat seasonally and locally. Savor the freshness and flavor of organic food and help your kids develop a pallet for real, unprocessed food.
Limit waste in your home. Live within your means. Conserve resources when you are able. Think creatively so that you are using your resources responsibly and be thankful for all that you have. Start a small compost pile in your yard. Sacrifice a night of going out to eat in order to purchase grass-fed beef from your local farm. Consider what your family is going to value and make your food decisions from there.
Attempt growing something in your backyard. This may be scary for some of you but just give it a shot! Get over the hump of not having a "green thumb." See the patience, labor and diligence it takes to grow a pumpkin from a seed. You’ll grow in your appreciation for your local farmer and all it takes to feed someone. You may even have a decent harvest to share with your family and your next-door neighbor--it’s so rewarding!
