by Associate Clinician Victoria Fisher
What is a Locavore?
You’ve heard of carnivores and herbivores, but what is a LOCAVORE???? Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a locavore as “a person who eats foods grown locally whenever possible.” The term was coined in 2005 by Local Foods Wheel co-creator Jessica Prentice. Prentice and her colleagues challenged residents of the San Francisco Bay Area to only eat foods grown or harvested within a 100 mile radius for an entire month. The term stuck, and the women of Local Foods Wheel created a movement!
Benefits of being a Locavore
Being a locavore can help you get back to a traditional foods diet. Eating unprocessed, all-natural, nutrient-dense foods is ideal for obtaining optimal health and wellness.
Eating locally supports the small farms in your area. Instead of lining the pockets of big corporate grocery stores, you can support the income of local families, support sustainable farming practices, help create local jobs, and boost the local economy. When you eat locally, the food is fresher, often times more nutrient-dense, and it just tastes better!
How to be a Locavore
Here are some local farms, farmer’s markets, and other resources to help you on the path to becoming a locavore:
Farms
- Bucks County
- Blooming Glen Farm – 100% certified organic farming; no synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, or GMOs; has a CSA with organic produce; they even grow beautiful flowers
- None Such Farm – this farm is not certified organic, but they commit to being an “100% non-GMO grower;” they have a wide variety of produce, as well as beef (but it’s grain-fed)
- Birchwood Farm – certified organic farm that uses no pesticides; pastured beef, chicken, eggs and pork, raw dairy, and local honey
- Tussock Sedge Farm – 100% grass-fed and finished beef; offers beef shares (Blooming Glen Farm CSA lies within the farm)
- Lehigh Valley
- Willow Haven Farm – a small family farm that offers a CSA and farm market; uses organic farming practices; they produce pastured chickens and eggs, and sell raw dairy, grass-fed beef, local honey, and sourdough bread from other local vendors
- Rainbow Farm – offer pastured meats (beef, chicken, pork); they do not use pesticides, hormones, or antibiotics
- Rodale Institute – a research farm that teaches farmers how to convert to organic practices; also offer organic produce at their Garden Store
- County Line Orchard – uses IPM farming practices, and has a few organic apple orchards; offers a variety of pick your own fruit orchards, as well as pre-picked produce
- Montgomery County
- Necessity Farms and Dairy – offers grass-fed beef and raw dairy, pastured chicken, eggs, pork, and lamb; also offers bones and organ meats for making bone broth
- Quarry Hill Farm – offers pastured meats and eggs, organic vegetables; also offers a CSA
- R&J Farm Market – uses 100% non-GMO seeds; offers free-range, hormone and antibiotic-free Thanksgiving turkeys
- Deep Springs Farm – small farm that offers pastured poultry and eggs
If you can’t get to a farm that offers high-quality products, a farmer’s market is a great option. They offer products from a variety of local vendors, making them a one-stop shop for aspiring locavores. Here are just a few…
- Perkasie Farmers’ Market
- Easton Farmer’s Market
- Wrightstown Farmer’s Market
To find a farm near you, or to learn more about healthy, sustainable food and farming practices, visit these websites:
- Eat Wild was established in 2001 with the intent to provide “research-based information about ‘eating on the wild side.’” Learn about “Grass-fed Basics,” find out where to get meat, eggs, and dairy from pastured animals in your area, as well as local stores, restaurants, and markets that sell grass-fed products.
- Real Milk is an initiative project from the Weston A. Price Foundation that advocates for raw, grass-fed, whole-fat dairy. Find out where you can purchase high-quality dairy in your area, and learn about the benefits raw dairy.
Take a moment to consider a world without small farms. We are foolish if we think we will still have access to nutrient-dense produce and meats without our brave farmers. By becoming locavores, we can actively support these local farmers, give the very best nutrition to our bodies, and preserve sustainable food practices for future generations!
Victoria Fisher RN, NTP
Victoria is an Associate Clinician at the Well of Life Center for Natural Health. The Well of Life Center is a holistic wellness center that specializes in nutrition, chiropractic, massage services, and more. Celebrating their 10th year in business, the Well of Life Center has locations in Doylestown, Bethlehem, and Ottsville, PA. For more information, please visit welloflifecenter.com.
Resources
http://www.strollingoftheheifers.com/locavoreindex/
http://www.locavores.com/