I couldn’t help but notice several days ago that the oranges I bought in a last-minute rush into the commercial grocery store that I rarely ever even go into anymore (but I needed some quick fruit for Kwabi’s lunches) were imported from South Africa.
South Africa?!?!?
You mean the oranges that I probably naively thought were coming from…oh, hell, I don’t know….Florida…..were, in fact, from South Africa, a whole 8,147 miles away. I wonder just how long, and how much expense, and how much effect on the environment it took for that orange (albeit very juicy) to have made its way all the way from South Africa…..?
If you have not been living under a rock, I’m sure you’ve heard about the benefits of eating locally grown food–it’s better for the environment because of the saved fuel of not having to transport it long distances…..better nutrition because the time between picking it and getting it to your table is shorter (=greater nutrients), and a whole host of other benefits.
When I shop at Whole Foods, I also don’t pay much attention to where our food is coming from. I do, however, get locally grown tomatoes (which happen to be cheaper, too). But everything else, I have paid no attention.
It’s not like it would be difficult for me to buy my fruits and veggies from a Farmer’s Market. There’s a FM only 2-3 miles from my house, open April through New Year’s Eve, stuffed with all sorts of locally grown food. But I think part of my hestitation was because this food was not organic. I’m coming to find that it’s probably better to eat local and conventional (i.e. grown with pesticides) than to eat non-local and organic (grown w/o pesticides). Taste is also a matter to consider.
Check out this article from Time magazine about the local vs. organic debate.
Anyhow, the other day at the Farmer’s Market, I got the sweetest Gala apples ever! OMG! Tasted like candy……YUM!
So, I’m going to make more of an effort to eat locally when I can; it’s more convenient for me, the apples taste better, and I’m excited to support local farmers.
Next time you’re buying a piece of fruit or veggies, check the label. Where did YOUR food come from??
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