So what’s the big deal about buying local? I mean, are locally grown vegetables and fruits better for me, my community and the environment? Can’t I just buy certified organic produce at the supermarket and feel good about my buying habits? Let me try to explain in a short list why buying locally grown produce is a great idea.
Locally Grown Food Tastes Better. When you buy Locally grown food grown right here in Kansas City, you’ll enjoy food picked just hours before you receive it rather. Produce that travels long distances is days older. Your fruits and vegetables lose much of their flavor and vitality while on the road. In addition, food grown for the supermarket and the long ride from out of state or out of country is bred specifically to tolerate shipping stresses not for robust flavor. In addition, trucked in produce is usually picked early for transport and not allowed to ripen to fullness of flavor. Many of the heirloom tomato varieties we grow cannot be found at the supermarket because, when ripe they are especially easy to damage. When you get the precious cargo of a Cherokee Purple or Pink Brandywine tomato home, you’ll definitely taste the difference.
Locally Grown Food is Better for You. Once harvested, produce starts loosing its nutrients. Kansas City grown produce at Where the Redfearn Grows Natural Farms is harvested the same day its picked up. Our CSA produce is also grown without dangerous chemicals and pesticides.
Locally Grown Food Conserves Energy. In America, our food travels an average of 1500 miles before reaching our plates. This has resulted in a troubling dependence upon petroleum. By buying Kansas City grown produce, you’ll be saving energy from transport.
Locally Grown Food Builds Genetic Diversity. Large commercial growers primarily focus on a small number of hybrid fruit and vegetable varieties bred specifically to tolerate harvesting, packing, shipping and storage. This has resulted in a dangerously small number of viable genetic strains in the food supply besides a woefully small selection at the supermarket. At Where the Redfearn Grows Natural Farms, we grow some hybrid varieties as well as heirloom vegetable varieties that yield eye-catching diversity of color and clearly distinguishable differences in flavor. For just tomatoes we are planting 12 distinct tomato varieties ranging in color from sunshine yellow to fire engine red to deep purple to black. Community Supported Agriculture customers will be receiving tremendous diversity in their weekly shares.
Locally Grown Food Generates Less Waste. Think of all the packaging wasted at the supermarket. Your CSA box is literally a reusable box that you will return each week for a full box.
Locally Grown Food Builds Community. It is our mission at Where the Redfearn Grows Natural Farms to build a community of food-conscious people. We want to build a connection between the farmer and the consumer. CSA customers have opportunities to interact with each other and their farmers on pickup days and through volunteer workdays. There is something special about knowing where your food comes from and taking part in it’s production.
Locally Grown Food Benefits the Environment. Small family farmers tend to be better stewards of the land than commercial agrobusinesses. At Where the Redfearn Grows Natural Farms we aim to preserve the native Kansas City wildlife. We leave ample open spaces of wildflowers and hedgerows to provide cover for countless species of birds and insects.
Locally Grown Food Supports Local Farmers. The Redfearn Family farms because we love to eat delicious and healthy produce that is locally grown, but we wouldn’t do it if there was no opportunity to make a livelihood. Believe it or not, growing great food costs money. The money you spend for your CSA subscription or for that dozen eggs goes back into your local economy where we buy fuel for our tractor or feed for our chickens. Buying trucked in zuchinni from Chile provides little economic benefit to your neighbors.
Locally Grown Food is About the Future. Buying locally grown food today helps keep the choice alive in Kansas City for tomorrow. When you make the conscious decision to buy local and let others know of your choice, you raise the consciousness of your family, friends and neighbors. You can start by Liking us on Facebook and tell your friends!