Think Globally, Eat Locally |
Eating Green In The Ocean State |
by Caroline Brown
Summer in Rhode Island is a time of abundant farmer's markets and roadside farmstands, so it's easy to find and eat local foods. Just about everyone, whether in the cities, the suburbs or the boondocks, lives within easy driving distance from a source of local fresh produce.
Our richest farmland is found in South County, where glacial meltwaters brought fertile soil with fewer rocks than in other parts of the state. Check out Shannock Organic Farm in Charlestown, for example, for organically grown fruit, vegetables, herbs, nursery items, strawberries, mushrooms, and flowers. The state Department of Environmental Management (DEM) keeps a list of all the certified organic growers in the state.
The rest of Rhode Island also has plenty of farms, right up to the city outskirts, and even right in the city. Urban Edge Farm in western Cranston, managed for the state by the Southside Community Land Trust, is a model farm for demonstrating environmentally sound land stewardship and farming practices. Southside also operates City Farm, right on the edge of downtown Providence.
Many local farms have pick-your-own programs for fruits and berries, which are popular with families. For example, Tikkanen Berry Farms in Foster specializes in blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries. The DEM also has a list of berry growers.
At Barden Orchards in North Scituate, you can pick your own apples, pumpkins, and peaches. The Rhode Island Fruit Growers Association keeps a list of orchards where you can pick your own. Some also sell fresh apple cider, too, in season.
Invest in local farms
Another way to enjoy fresh, local produce and support local farms is to buy a share in a community-supported agriculture (CSA) program. 
When you join a CSA, you pay a fee that entitles you to a share (or half-share, depending on your family size) of that farm's produce for the whole season. Each week you pick up your share, which will be an abundance of whatever is ripe at the farm each week. Urban Edge Farm offers a popular CSA -- although it's sold out for the 2006 season. Other CSAs include the certified-organic Ledge Ends Produce in East Greenwich and Rabbit's Dance Farm in Cumberland. Some CSAs require you to come to the farm for your share, others have pickup points closer to customers. For a complete list, check the DEM site. Many are already sold out for this year, but now is a good time to plan ahead for next spring.
Urban dwellers are by no means left out when it comes to finding local food. A number of weekly farmers' markets are open from May to October in Providence, Pawtucket, Woonsocket, and Cranston. Farm Fresh Rhode Island keeps a current listing of all the markets.
A unique service is offered at Urban Greens, headquartered at the West Broadway Neighborhood Association in Providence's West End. Urban Greens is a food co-op that brings natural products into the city for convenient pickup. You have to order ahead, but you can do it online. Also, many R.I. restaurants do their part to keep local farmers in business. Garden Grille in Pawtucket, Julian's on Broadway, and Castle Hill in Newport are just a few that make an effort to buy local food.
Rhode Island Farmways is a nonprofit program that aims to get city folk out to visit the state's farms. They organize tours, camps for kids, and educational programs.
Farm Fresh Rhode Island is a strong advocate for local farmers, and can help you find the nearest farmers' market, farmstand, CSA, or steer you to has fresh tomatoes right now. The purpose of the nonprofit organization -- a collaboration between Brown University's Center for Environmental Studies, Brown Dining Services, the R.I. Department of Environmental Management, and the Rhode Island Foundation -- is to link regional food producers with consumers and restaurants. The Farm Fresh Web site includes a searchable database of local farmers and growers that you can sort by type of food (dairy, vegetables, etc.) or by venue (farmstand, market, etc.). If you have any questions whatsoever about local food, their contact list is a great place to start.
Farmers need your political support, too
It may seem we have an abundance of local food, but there's still room for Rhode Island to improve. Two bills that aimed to support local farmers stalled in this year's General Assembly session. If they passed, tax credits would have been given to restaurants and schools that purchase locally grown and raised products. Legislation like this can make a difference in helping to grow Rhode Island's local food system, resulting in more open space, a stronger local economy, a more energy-efficient food supply, and fresher, more nutritious food. If the idea of eating locally appeals to you, contact your state representative and ask them to vote for these bills next chance they get!
Why eat local? Why is agriculture one of our most important environmental issues?
Learn more in Part Two.
Are Whole Foods Local Foods?Advocates for local farmers have complained that Whole Foods is not always willing to deal with them. Whole Foods may have only two stores in Rhode Island, but it's a huge nationwide chain. As such, they often prefer to deal with bigger growers who can provide product in bulk. The store recently published a letter online, in which CEO John Mackey tells writer Michael Pollan (author of The Omnivore's Dilemma) that Whole Foods is committed to doing more to get local foods onto their shelves. The company will allocate $10 million a year to finance loans to small farms, will make more of an effort to work with local producers, and will open the parking lots at some stores to local farmer's markets. |
More resources on this topic:
Foodroutes.org -- an advocacy site with lots of news, plus info about how and why to buy local, and how to find and support local farms. Worldwatch Institute -- a guide to Worldwatch's research and publications on the topic, plus lots of links. Food First -- explore the place of sustainable agriculture in a global, social, economic, and political context.Do you know a Web page that should be linked to here? Want to comment on this story? Send us an email.
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