6 Reasons to Eat Local Food This 4th of July

It's time for 4th of July weekend and that means swimming, sunshine, vacations, fireworks and...... farmers markets. In case you haven't noticed, farmers markets around the country are bursting with all kinds of delicious fruits and vegetables just waiting for you to enjoy them. Here are six reasons to show your red, white, and blue by buying local foods this holiday weekend.

1. Small Farmers Are As American As Apple Pie: The concept of the small family farmer is deeply ingrained in the American consciousness. It's a symbol of good old fashioned hard work, respect for the land, and it is an iconic part of our history. However, these days, a majority of our food is produced in a highly mechanized and industrialized system where farmers are essentially contracted workers on their own land, who then sell their crops (usually corn and soybeans) to large, multinational food corporations. If you buy from small farmers, who you can find at farmer's markets, a lot more of your money is going towards supporting individuals in your community. It's the difference between shopping at Wal Mart and shopping at the store owned by your neighbor. In these tough economic times, you can show your support to the people who live in or near your community.

2. You Are What You Eat: Xanthan gum? High fructose corn syrup? Phosphoric Acid? Processed food is full of additives, sweeteners and preservatives, much of which we can't even pronounce, let alone know what they are. When you buy local foods produced on a small scale, what you see is what you get. I know I'd rather eat a vegetable than something that comes in a package with a laundry list of mystery ingredients.

3. The Incredible Shrinking Carbon Footprint: When you eat food that's produced near you, you reduce your carbon footprint. When strawberries travel on refrigerated trucks for days from Mexico, it takes way more energy than transporting them 50 miles from New Jersey to a farmer's market in New York City. Small farmers also usually practice far more responsible forms of growing -- the food is often organic, they work the land in a sustainable way, and take more responsibility for the health and safety of their workers. With less fossil fuel burned and less pesticides sprayed, you can feel good about taking a bite out of local food.

4. Fresh Is Best: When there is a much shorter distance from farm to table, the food you are eating is likely to be super fresh. Can you taste the difference between a mealy, refrigerated tomato and a fresh, sun-ripened one? There's no contest. It's easy to do a good thing when it tastes so delicious.

5. Because Everybody's Doing It: There is a growing movement to eat local foods this 4th of July as a celebration of food independence. Advocates are encouraging people to sign a petition urging the governors of every state to eat local this July 4th -- all signers pledge to eat local this weekend too. You can take the pledge on Facebook where over 25,000 people have signed up. A number of governors have already committed to local eating this weekend, and have even released their menus. In Montana they are having huckleberry milkshakes; in Maine, Lobster; in Maryland, crabcakes; and in South Dakota, goose jerky (!). Governor Rick Perry of Texas even has a twitter bubble video describing what local food he's going to eat this 4th of July. Yum! Click here to view an interactive map of which governors are eating local, and what dishes they have planned.

6. Talk With Your Wallet: There's nothing more American than a simple lesson in supply and demand capitalism this July 4th. If you support local food by buying it, you increase the demand for the foods you want and the farming and food practices you agree with. This makes the market for these foods stronger and more profitable. As demand increases --ta da! So will supply, helping to reinvigorate the good ole American small family farmer.

Don't know where to start? Here are some food tips from Planet Green, and some delightful recipes from The Atlantic Food Channel to get the ball rolling. And check out HuffPost Blogger Leslie Hatfield's post on declaring your food independence.

And Finally.....

HuffPost Green wants to know what locally grown foods YOU are cooking with this 4th of July. Send us your high resolution photos and links to the recipes you used. Please include your name, location and a caption for your photo and send it to [e-mail]. We want to see what America's eating. Happy 4th!

Follow HuffPost Green on Twitter: www.twitter.com/HuffPostGreen

Follow Katherine Goldstein on Twitter: www.twitter.com/KGeee

Comments

[LisaCimpermanRD]

Eating local and knowing what is in your food are both great strategies for making smart food choices. It's important to note that while high fructose corn syrup may have a complicated name, it is actually just a sugar made from corn, one of our country's most important natural grain products. Sugar and high fructose corn syrup are nutritionally the same - both contain equal calories and are metabolized the same way in the body. The bottom line is that in our effort to choose foods that are environmentally responsible and healthy, all sweeteners - sugar, honey, and high fructose corn syrup - can be enjoyed in moderation.

[Photofarm]

On your point number 2.

You don't have to go the farmers market, just try going to the produce and meat counters, and cook from scratch. The problem is the quick ready to eat microwave meals people buy in the freezer section, and all of the carb loaded snacks in the Chips and Soda Pop aisle.

[plantguy]

Same goes for every other dollar you spend.

[larry278]

I should like to eat 2 or 3 petit fours iced in red, white & blue to celebrate July 4. I don't care who makes them, where they are made or the sources of the ingrediants. July 4 is also called Independence Day. I have found memories of a NJ farmers market that sold to die for locally baked scones; & their strawberries...

[MikeRdg]

farmers markets are great!

[econ1]

I am absolutely eating where I am.

[BannedNBoston]

Where is my locally grown hulled hemp seeds? Why do they cost a GAZZILLION DOLLARS?

[kmdippenger]

There's a new farmer's market starting on July 4th in Lansdale PA. (Montgomery County). Any of you living close enough, please come and support this endeavor. It'll be held the 1st Sat of very month (July, Aug and Sept).

[Tracy H]

Re: Point #3, some foods have a much larger carbon footprint than others, regardless of where they come from. Beef uses more than frozen vegetables, which use more than fresh vegetables and so forth. So buying fresh veggies that were trucked from Mexico can actually have a lower carbon/pollution impact than buying locally-raised meat. Most of the carbon footprint of food is from the growing, not transportation. If you really want to reduce your carbon footprint, look into what you eat before you look at where it comes from. Points #1, 2, 4, 5, and 6 still stand, though.

[Todd Bolender]

You should check your facts. Eating meet from a grass fed local small family farm is much better than vegetables shipped across the country. Also getting your vegetables from a local farm that does not use herbicides or pesticides is much better for you and for the planet, and it's good to support your local farmer.

[Vickster]

The only "carbon footprint" for all foods (plant or animal) are in the transportation and the petroleum-based fertilizers.

Livestock releases carbon that was stored in plants a few years (or months) ago. Fossil fuels release carbons that were stored in plants millions of years ago.

[ramal]

Locally grown, seasonal, organic food should be eaten everyday, if you want to keep having days.

[ljfoor]

I am assistant manager of my community's farmers' market in Ohio. When you buy food at a farmers' market you are meeting the person who grew or made your food and supporting local farmers and food artisans and their families. Our market currently features 18 market vendors; we feature home-grown, home-made foods, and our vendors are all from Ohio (the vendor furthest away drives about 2 hours.). Patrons talk directly wtih market vendors, taste new flavors and foods (it's a great place for kids to try new things), and pick up new recipes and serving suggestions -- it's truly an experience -- employs the senses! I think the food just tastes better.
There is such a sense of community -- it's a connection of our market vendors and our patrons. I see people at their best and they just have a good time. It's a place for families, kids, seniors, friends, dogs, conversations, and laughter. I like seeing old friends run into each other at the market. We greet regular customers who attend weekly and people who just happen to be driving by. Our market happens to be in our uptown district and our local businesses benefit as well.
We also teamed up with the local community resource center and created a voucher program funded by contributions where people in need can come to the market and buy fresh, healthy foods and fruit bearing plants.
I know from experience, when folks buy at a farmers' market -- everybody wins.

[jeanruss]

A real patriot would call his Represenrative and raise hell about HR 2749 which will ruin farmers markets across the country. It will require every vendor to pay $500 a year just to participate (including the Amish) and it will have dictatorial powers over food production with massive fines for non-compliance. If that's not bad enough for you, foreig food products are exempt from this tyranny (like Mexico and China) where most contamination occurs. This terrible bill was sponsored by only Democrats including Waxman!

[GaetanoX]

Philly is loaded with excellent Farmer's Markets. PA of course produces the tastiest tomatoes and our neighbor NJ is loaded with juicy blueberries and sweet corn.

I suggest canele to start your holiday.

http://phillymarketcafe.blogspot.com/2009/06/tomatoes-at-headhouse.html

[growbrooklyn]

#7 - it's my (and your!) patriotic duty as a good citizen. here's why i garden, and eat locally, for America:

http://growbrooklyn.wordpress.com/2009/07/02/growing-a-new-paradigm-of-patriotism/

[ladylove114]

Please buy from your local farmer's market if at all possible. Those people that raise the produce there are some of the hardest working, most down to earth people you will ever want to meet.

[TigersEye]

And the food is fresher and healthier than what you're going to get in the grocery store. Great idea, I don't make it to the farmer's maket in my area often, I will make it a point to do so now.

[TigersEye]

Great post! I agree wholeheartedly.