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Eat More...Local
Ripe, fresh, full of flavor, in season and ready to eat.  What more could anyone want from a fruit or vegetable?  That's what you get when you buy fruits and vegetables from local sources (or grow your own).  More and more Americans are choosing to grow their own gardens.  In 2008, gardeners spent a total of $2.5 billion to purchase seeds, plants, fertilizer, tools, and other gardening supplies to grow their own food.  Growing your own food can save you money.  Buying local is oftentimes cheaper for you too because transportation and packaging costs are low or non-existent.  Buying local foods also helps small farms and the local economy.  

Try it, you might like it.  Buying local foods encourages you to try new varieties and flavors of your favorite fruits and vegetables.  You are also exposed to many new foods that you may not have tried before.  Don't forget that local foods are more than just fruits and vegetables - it's also food products like eggs, honey, preserves, wine, beer, meats, cheeses, herbs and nuts.

What Makes It Green?
Eating local cuts down on the fossil fuels needed to truck and ship food across the country or the world.  The refrigeration required to keep these shipped foods fresh demands great amounts of energy.  Food processors also use a large amount of paper and plastic packaging to keep food "fresh" for longer periods of time. This packaging is difficult, if not impossible, to reuse or recycle.

Eating locally can be a healthier option too.  If grow your own, you can control what you put in the soil and on the plants.  If you don't choose to garden, you can choose farms and companies that practice growing and production methods that are natural and organic.  Many foods that have been transported long distances have been preserved and processed to "last" longer.  Finally, if you are eating local food products, you are likely to be eating more fruits and vegetables and less processed foods and that's healthier too.

What You Can Do

Seven million more households plan to grow their own fruits, vegetables, herbs, or berries in 2009 than in 2008 - a 19% increase, which is nearly double the increase between 2007 and 2008.

I love taking my kids to pick our own fruit.  We picked blueberries last week and had a great time.  We didn't take many berries home because we kept eating them - yum.  I can't wait to go again next year!