Shop Locally!!!!!

Where do you get your fruits and vegetables? Consuming products from national chains and corner markets can lead to your local farmers receiving little to no proceeds from their own community. This can, and usually does, effect their federal funding. It is also necessry to mention that these products, shipped from far and wide, are not as tasty. In addition, their travel is also terrible for the environment.

A big problem here in the mid-west is strawberries! You buy them one day and the next day they are a heap of stinky, mashed-up-mooshy-mold bombs! It never occurred to me that these strawberries had just come off of a five day trip from California over 1000 miles away. Imagine the gas that took! According to www.sciencenews.org back in 2003, strawberries travel 10 times farther than they would had they been grown locally. The chart, based on travel to Iowa from anywhere in the world, also suggested a type of "eco-labeling" so consumers would really be able to put a handle on just how far and fresh what they bought really was! What a great idea. That concept was introduced over four years ago and obviously never caught on, BUT here on "Healthier, Happier, You!!!!" I am urging each and every one of you to consume fresher food. We as professional shoppers can always simply look at the label to get an idea of how far your food has come. There are plenty of crops available, no matter where you are in this great vast land, that can come to you fresh all year round. We just have to acclimate ourselves to eating what is in season in our corner of the world.

I just started ordering from a group who have partnered with farmers and support other farming neighbors. For $25 I get a huge crate delivered to my door, packaged in a cooler, stocked full of the freshest fruits,vegetables and dairy products! Thank you, Irv and Shelly!!!

www.freshpicks.com/cms/

I feel better knowing that I am helping my neighbor, conserving energy, and bettering my body! You will too! Find your local farmer's market and shop there today!!! Mmmmm!