Locavore-ing.

I learned last week that I am a “locavore,” a person who buys and eats food grown, or produced, as close to home as possible. While I have been doing this for some time, I did not know my practice had a name--or that there were others!

The first conscious choice I made in buying locally was with wine. I reasoned that a ten dollar bottle of Michigan wine was more truly a ten dollar bottle of wine, while a ten dollar bottle of wine from California was a ten dollar bottle of wine--less shipping. And I saved the pollution caused by the shipping. I suppose I may be costing someone their job, but hopefully, if I drink enough local wine, I will create those jobs, well, locally.

As I discovered the local farms and farmers’ markets, I became more and more a “locavore,” not only buying local fruits and vegetables instead of transported ones, but learning the types of things grown locally, and their seasons, so I could be ready for them. I learned what I could freeze and stocked as many and as much as I could.

Buying locally grown produce not only has the same benefits as with the wine, but I can “quiz” the growers about how the food is grown. I can buy riper, fresher, better quality produce. I can support better growing practices, and can, in general, support the agricultural heritage of the region.

I am lucky to have so much quality local fare at hand. In addition to the farm fresh produce, there is the international-award-winning Bit of Swiss bakery, in Stevensville, Old Europe Cheese, out of Benton Harbor, that produces cheese under the Reny Picot label, and family-owned Drier’s Meat Market, in Three Oaks, that offers smoked meats and other delicacies, and have for over 100 years!. There are the wineries, of course, and there are even locally made beers. Why go anywhere else?!

As the dangers of industrial farming increasingly come to light, local food sources become more important, and as the economy stalls, supporting local economies becomes more important too--as does saving the fuel required to ship staples from abroad.

I will admit, I don’t buy all my food locally. I still love avocados and artichokes and fresh figs. I haven’t found anyone who grows those here, but if I do, and the quality is there, I will surely buy from them.

Now all this writing has me waiting on pins and needles for the farm markets to open and for the growing season to begin. Raspberries and apricots are right around the corner, and I can hardly wait! Yup, I’m a bona fide locavore--and I’m happy to know I’m not alone.