What’s the problem? Americans are losing (have lost?) touch with
where their food comes from. Corporations now control almost all
the farming in the United States and regional small farms are
being edged out. What can I do ? Eat from your garden. Buy your
food at the local farmer’s market. Participate in a CSA
(Community Supported Agriculture) whereby you join a group who
pays a farmer for a season’s worth of food (typically
vegetables, fruits, eggs and/or flowers) and the farmer delivers
a weekly share for each participant during the growing season.
The benefit to the farmer is that he/she has funds available
early in the season for supplies and a guaranteed market during
the year and participants have locally grown food, fresh from
the farm. How this helps the environment: Keeping food dollars
in the region adds to the economic sustainability of the area
and increases the residents’ food security. Local food decreases
the number of “product miles” of your food. Nationally,
conventional farming spends approx