Eating Neighborly

Buying your goods from local businesses rather than national chains generates about three times as much money for your local economy.

Marketing jingles from every angle lure patrons to turn our backs on our locally owned stores, restaurants, and farms. And nobody considers that unpatriotic? The increased availability of local food in any area is a direct function of the demand from local consumers. In grocery stores, when the cashier asks if you found everything you were looking for, you could say, "Not really, I was looking for local produce." At restaurants, ask the waitstaff or owner which entrees or wines are from local sources. Local and regional policymakers need to hear our wishes: town and city hall meetings, school board meetings, even state commissioner meetings. Federal legislators also need to hear about local food issues. As more people ask, our options will grow.