@ JLC – Hmm, maybe that’s why it was so tough. Really, it surprised me how limited my local options were at the co-op. It’s seemed much more ‘available’ in the past.

No plastic is a really tough one. That’s actually in queue for a Monday Monthly Mission. A question – do you buy in bulk? And if you do, do you use the reusable plastic bags/containers for that, and would you count that as ‘buying in plastic’? I’ve thought about my own feeling on the matter, but I’m curious how others would view it.

@ Julie – I love that link! I even tweeted it. =) Ans I agree, not ideal, but sometimes your in the middle of nowhere and you just need to know what is ‘safe’ at the convenience store.

@ Dylan – Thanks so much for that wealth of info. I couldn’t agree more, and you’ve put into words a lot of what I was thinking about. Thanks!

@ unlikelyaristotle – Thanks, and I’m glad you’re digging the site. You’re lucky to have a local market so close – a lot of people would be jealous! =D I hope you like what you fin, when you check it out. I’m totally reliant on mine!

@ Kelly – That’s so great Lady! I’d love to do something like that – definitely on my list. And so cool that you have some friends who are following that dream. How inspiring. =)

I just wanted to share my experience on Saturday. A friend of mine and her husband started their own farm last year (shameless plug: http://soltoseedfarm.com/) and not only is the farm organic and local, they try to adhere to the principles and methods of biodynamic farming, which I truly respect and adore. I had the pleasure of working with them for seven hours – for my own joy and gratification of supporting their endeavors and because they are friends – and, in exchange, I received onions, chard, dragon tongue beans,jalapenos, several kinds of squash and freshly cut flowers! What fun! I intend to support them in a work-share program next year because they can’t afford to pay anyone (it’s just the two of them farming this land and trying to make a living at the same time working part time jobs!) and it will be a greatly rewarding learning experience for me.

It doesn’t get any more local than that! :o)

As for eating locally, never really occurred to me how important it is! The funny thing is, back in my own apartment, I have a local produce market a block away, closer than my usual (super-expensive) supermarket!! It never crossed my mind to even take a look at what’s inside for some reason I don’t think I’ll ever fully understand. That’s gonna change from now on!

First location is not the first or even second criterion for me in gauging ‘true’ local. All produce/food is grown locally wherever it is grown. The point is the production/marketing/distribution infrastructure that delivers it to your mouth. So for me the most definitive aspect of ‘true’ local is how direct is it from the farmer to you? Your own garden is the most direct. Farm stands/u-pick, farmer’s markets, CSA’s, and farm markets are the next best, and places like your your local food co-op or restaurants that buy directly from farms are great connections also. (I am guessing from your comments about where you live that you shop at probably the best place, at least in Portland, to get truly local food. Unfortunately you are a lucky minority and most of your readers probably do not have the benefit of patronizing a place that truly goes out of it’s way to ensure you the most and the truest local produce available. Many/most places use weak definitions of local to circumvent these issues and still promote themselves as “buying local”.)

From the first criteria comes the second most important one to me: scale of operation- if you are small scale, you probably care more about your land/surrounding environment, your workers, your community and the quality of your food produced, but most certainly you market as direct as you can. First you cannot afford to compete price wise in the wholesale marketplace, and second they aren’t going to consider your production volume as worth their time.

If you are large scale, you cannot afford to diddle around with the small volumes that direct retail sales will turn, you need a vast distribution network that can absorb your volume as efficiently as possible so you can focus on managing the size and scope of your operation.

So, no your peanuts, almonds and pistachios were not grown locally and pretty sure the soybeans that the tofu you ate were also not grown in Oregon (your California roots are showing)!

However I am not an extremist and believe that these are all personal choices to be determined by our own sense of things. What I do promote is making sure that you are aware of the choices you are making and that you have a good sense of their impact.

So if you shop at Whole Foods, do so, but do so like a man entering an adult porn shop, knowing viscerally and acutely that you are crossing a line: enjoy the temptation, the titillation, the seduction, let yourself get turned on, but do not think that you are doing the most holistic thing for your health or the most contributing thing for your community, know that the “local” food you buy there is actually undermining your local agricultural community. (on the flip side I support Whole Foods in buying as much local as they can and as directly as they can, being the largest natural food retailer in the nation any small change they do will make a difference and certainly puts them above Fred Meyers or Safeway etc. However the dictates of marketplace competition and the need for market share ensures that they will only go so far.)

I have been deeply involved in the produce industry for the last thirty years and have much to say on issues of sustainability (vegetarianism, veganism, local and organic) so thank you for letting me put this out there on your site.

Peace.

Right now I am trying to buy food that isn’t packaged in plastic. Very hard to do!