Why I Eat Locally Grown Foods

1. Because it's fun.
2. Locally grown foods have more color, taste, vibration.
3. To keep artisan, heirloom and native foods alive.
4. Barbara Kingsolver does.
5. Because farmers markets are as much fun as bookstores.
6. Local food is juicy.
7. It makes sense.
8. Because small farms are art in the dirt.
9. It often comes with less packaging.
10. I feel like I'm part of the solution.
11. To stay young.
12. Local food has character.
13. Because this idea knocked on the door one day and has now taken up residency.
14. It creates less garbage for the planet.
15. To make up for the places where I mindlessly use more resources than I should.
16. Because I believe we all want peace in the world.
17. The cute guy took up sailing and I have extra time.
18. It's one way to be kind to the environment.
19. I want to see if I can.
20. Because a friend said I rocked when I told her what I was doing.
21. Local eaters make the best lovers.
22. Because if we all ate one meal a week, any meal, that was locally grown and organic we would save 1.1 million barrels of oil every week.*
23. I don't always eat locally grown foods.
24. Because I've always believed in supporting local business for their tenacity and creativity.
25. It makes me smile a lot.
26. Because apricots are in season and I could live on them forever.
27. I have a thing for farmers (but mostly for sailors!).

(*Number 22 is from Animal Vegetable Miracle by Barbara and Camille Kingsolver and her husband Steven Hopp. There's a link to the entire excerpt in the title above.)