Finding Local Food?

[Dace]

This is a spin off from FC's thread about what grows in your area of the country......

I try to buy from my local farmers market but it is very small and has more crap-vendors (purses, make up, photography & home decor ) than produce vendors.

So here is a question for y'all....how do you find out what your
locally grown foods are? In a large city how does one find locally produced eggs, honey, meat? I have struggled with this and can not seem to find a solution I like.

 

[Wifezilla]

We have several Farmer's markets in the area. You have to go visit each one and find out who has what. Some are full of crap vendors, but I know which ones to avoid now

You can research Farmer's Markets on line. The USDA even puts out a list.

 

[inchworm]

The farmers markets here aren't too great either. I have found local producers of organic meat, local honey, and produce all by word of mouth. Visit the local butcher and he'll tell you who has a side of beef for sale. Then when you meet them, ask about where you can find a beekeeper or where you can find fresh tomatoes, or where the pick-your own orchard is. By asking around, I also found a source of raw milk, even though I don't use it. Also found a great barn builder and small engine repair through a local Mennonite farmer. Just keep asking.

 

[keljonma]

This is the NE Ohio Harvest Guide - Put out by the Cuyahoga Valley Countryside Conservancy. Your area might publish something similar for your area.

The list is alphabetical by item and by month. It tells if the item is available fresh, from cold storage, greenhouse or hydroponically grown. As you can see, if you open the site, the list is very comprehensive.

Not only is it used by consumers, it is also used by family farm groups.

http://www.cvcountryside.org/Website/Local FoodWorks/pdfs/Harvest Guide.pdf

 

[patandchickens]

Same here with farmers markets -- you have to pay attention and ask questions and keep ears peeled, to make sure you're not inadvertantly buying repackaged imported produce they bought in the big wholesale market in Toronto

There ARE some good vendors, though. I especially like the giant huge farmers market in Mississauga (SW side of TO), we make a point of stopping there during the season whenever we go visit DH's mom nearby.

The prices for farm-fresh free-run eggs there helps me remind DH why it is actually a GOOD thing for us to hve the chickens <g>


Pat

 

[farmerlor]

Have you checked the Local Harvest and Slow Food websites for farmers in your area?

 

[poppycat]

The farmers markets here are fun, but you have to tease out the good vendors. The thing that helped us the most was joining a CSA. The farm manager is very plugged into who is growing what and more than happy to help source items that you might be interested in that she isn't raising personally. If you could find just one person that is into raising local food, they might know someone who knows someone.

I have also had good luck with community classifieds and craigslist. My area is pretty agricultural, even though it's got a city in the middle of it. You might have to do a little driving if you are in a really big city.

For eggs, you could try posting on Buy, Sell, Trade on BYC. See if someone near you is selling their eggs.

 

[enjoy the ride]

You might try at a local cooperative store or look on Craig's list- I found my local garlic to grow there.
Ask the local Ag place or go to a local fair to network with the gardeners.

Unfortunately, although we have a couple of farmer's markets here, a lot of road side stands are people who buy produce at the stands along HWY 5 and bring here to resell. Might as well buy it at Safeway.

 

[reinbeau]

I don't know how extensive this is, but Local Harvest is a great place to look for local food, it's based in CA but it works well around here for locating whatever you need.

 

[FarmerChick]

Try this Dace

use the "Find A Market" in your area

http://www.cafarmersmarkets.com/search/


ALSO---call your county agricultural extension office. They should have a list of all farms and what they produce in your area. You can visit farms or learn where they sell their products.

hope this might help ya!