Eating food that is locally sourced is the best way to reduce the carbon footprint of your meals but it can be hard to find reliable sources of season fruit and vegetables. Now Locally Sourced, run by entrepreneur Steve Benjamins, makes it super easy to find food in your area. Simply click on the farm share near you for more locally grown fruits and veggies than you can poke a sharp sick at.
What are farm shares?
Farm shares or CSAs (community supported agriculture) are organizations that provide boxes of fresh fruit and veggies for weekly pickup. The boxes are made up of fresh farm produce grown by a farmer near you. Farm shares differ from one farmer to the next, but they are generally quite happy to cater to your likes and dislikes. Boxes range run from $20-$40 depending on the size of your family.
Benefits of eating Locally Sourced
- When you buy locally-grown food, you are supporting your local economy.
- Fresh seasonal fruit and vegetables are healthier and tastier than food that has spent months in refrigeration.
- Your farm share produce only travels from the farm to your home, so it has a much lower carbon footprint.
- Farmers get the full retail price for their produce and you get to connect directly with the people who grow your food. This means you can ask them any questions about the growing process, what chemicals (if any) they use and any other questions you may have.
- Farm shares produce food year-round so there is always a supply of fresh, locally grown produce.
- Many of the farm shares practice organic, healthy, chemical-free farming which makes them healthier too.
The Locally Sourced portal helps to connect CSAs with the consumer. This makes it easier for you to find locally produced produce in your area and helps farmers to market their products directly to the consumer.