Eat Local Challenge FAQ

Questions and Answers about the Eat Local Challenge

Q: Are local products more expensive to buy?

A: Oftentimes, local foods are less expensive because there is less overhead required to deliver them from local farms to grocers. However, local producers are usually small and don’t have the economies of scale associated with large corporate farms. Therefore, they must sometimes charge more for their products, although their products are typically higher quality. Price comparisons show that co-ops offer competitive prices on local and organic food offerings. They work hard to balance their commitment to offering both customers and vendor partners fair prices for products.

Q: How does buying local benefit me directly?

A: Local foods taste better, and because they are fresher, they also retain more nutrients. In addition, food grown by small local farmers is usually produced using fewer chemicals, which means fewer toxins in food. And, when you buy local, you’re also helping to support your community’s economy.

Q: I’d like to eat more locally produced foods year-round. How can I do it beyond growing season?

A: Eating food with the rhythm of the seasons provides fresher, more nutritious options and a deeper connection to the environment and food sources. While it can certainly be more challenging during certain times of the year, you can find creative ways to maintain a delicious and locally sourced diet throughout the year. For instance, canning and preserving seasonal fruit and vegetables is a good way to keep the harvest season flavor alive year-round. And, of course, many farms offer local eggs, meat, and dairy items like milk, yogurt, and cheese all year long. Ask the co-op’s staff for assistance.

CSF Shrimp and More

Shrimp shares were available during shrimp season. Community supported fisheries brought weekly pickups to Belfast and Blue Hill every Saturday.

Here, in this photo, Carrie and Justine “picking” local CSF shrimp at the Co-op [photo by Suzanne Coolidge]

Check out the FoodRoutes Network (FRN). “FRN, a national nonprofit organization, provides communications tools, technical support, networking and information resources to organizations nationwide that are working to rebuild local, community-based food systems. FRN is dedicated to reintroducing Americans to their food – the seeds it grows from, the farmers who produce it, and the routes that carry it from the fields to their tables.” FRN is based in Arnot, PA.

And check out the Eat Local Network people in Oregon, the originators of the Eat Local Challenge and the waving tomato image. For more information on how you and your family can participate, please contact Jesse at the Co-op, 374-2165 or by e-mail.