Eating local means more for the local economy. A dollar spent locally generates twice as much income for the local economy. When businesses are not owned locally, money leaves the community at every transaction.

Locally grown produce is fresher… while produce that is purchased in the supermarket or a big box store has been in transit or cold stored for days or weeks, produce that you purchase at your local farmer’s market has often been picked within 24 hours of your purchase. This freshness not only affects the taste of your food, but the nutritional value which declines with time. Local food just plain tastes better!

Locally grown fruits and vegetables have longer to ripen. The produce will be handled less, locally grown fruit does not have to stand up to the rigors of shipping. This means that you are going to be getting fruits so ripe that they fall apart as you eat them and melons that were allowed to ripen until the last possible minute.

Eating local is better for air quality and pollution…The miles that food often travels to our plate creates environmental damage that outweighs the benefits.

Buying local keeps us in touch with the seasons. By eating with the seasons, we are eating foods when they are at their peak taste, are the most abundant, and the least expensive.

Buying locally grown food protects us from potential foreign bacterias. Food that has less distance to travel from farm to plate is less likely to contain things that our bodies aren’t ready for.

Supporting local providers supports responsible land development, when you buy local, you give those with local farms and pastures an economic reason to stay open and undeveloped.