Sourcing Local Food

There are a million reasons why you should eat food grown in your own yard, but gardening has its own set of troubles and requirements. So, if for some reason you can't grow your own garden, FIND SOMEONE WHO CAN. Go to the farmer's market and eat all the locally grown foods you can find there! The bonus is, it's probably even cheaper than the grocery store, and twice as delicious. Or, if you don't have much space, consider planter boxes on the porch, deck, terrace, or windowsill filled with cherry tomatoes and cucumbers. Go to your friend or family member with a huge garden and ask if you can plant a corner there, or barter for veggies. There's a time in August when every person with a garden in Kentucky is giving away zucchini because they can't eat any more. Ask around! Someone has homegrown food that you can access. This week we picked up our meat from a local, sustainable farm instead of picking it up at the grocery when we went. The quality is outstanding, and the price was only moderately more. I was so pleased! We got 10lbs of ground beef, one whole chicken, a beef roast, and 2 lbs of sausage for $104. That amount would have probably cost us around $85 at the grocery store, and this has infinitely better quality, is from my hometown where I have seen how it was raised, and I get to support a friend in the process. I know we are supremely fortunate to have access to such great quality meat right here in our hometown, but I would venture to guess that whatever it is you are wanting find locally that you can probably find it if you just look around a little bit. 

Tips for Finding Locally Grown Food

• Do you live near an Amish or Mennonite community? Go explore! There are usually little grocery stores and bulk stores within those communities where you can find fresh and local produce, meat, and dairy, not to mention yummy baked goods.
• Ask around. Ask the people at Whole Foods and Trader Joe's if they have found a good source for local eggs. I know where I live there are even handwritten signs on the side of the road advertising eggs for sale. Call one of those numbers.
• Buy direct. Find a farmer you can buy directly from. Oftentimes you can work with a farmer to deliver your cow (or pig, or chickens) to the local processor where you can pick up a years worth of meat for a fraction of store costs. If you're having trouble finding a local farmer, talk to a meat processor. Farmers aren't always listed, but meat processors will be. 
• Search for a local CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) where you can sign up to receive a box of produce weekly from a local farm. It's a great way to get a bunch of produce for a reasonable price, and it's like picking up a gift every week.
• Re-consider raising your own. Have you ever heard of a micro-farm? You can do so much farming with very little space! Check out The Urban Homestead and see what they do with a super small space!
• If you absolutely can't find a local producer of meat or vegetables, guess what? You need to start a business. The market is there. People want good food. 

Central Kentucky Local Food Sources

Pike Valley Farm
Terrapin Hill Farm
Marksbury Farm/Pasture
Yoder's Processing
The Nutrition Center
Your Farmer's Market
Good Foods
Whole Foods/Trader Joe's
The Bluebird
If you know of any other local and sustainable food sources in central Kentucky, please share them with me and I will add them to the list!

Bonus Tip!

Next time you eat at an ethnic restaurant, look to see if there is a store nearby! Next door to our favorite indian restaurant there is a store that sells Indian foods and goods. While not all things there will be local, they will usually be of good quality and "local" to that ethnicity. Plus you'll find great deals on bulk spices and ingredients. specific to that type of food. We always make sure to check out the Japanese markets, Mexican tiendas. and Indian stores because we love to eat culturally diverse foods and that's where you'll find the most authentic foods for each culture.