One of the biggest things I have realized with participating in the Buy Local Challenge, is to question where our food comes from. When I have asked the best place to find locally raised chicken, some people have responded with Perdue…which may be somewhat understandable as Perdue is a local company, but come on now! How can you say that Perdue chicken is appealing? Sure, marketing geniuses are able to create commercials that makes it look like they are “Natural”. What about when you see the poor chickens stuffed into boxes and carted onto tractor trailers and drive past you on rt 50? Don’t you think it is sad that we see all of these Eastern Shore chicken farms, yet never see any actual chickens, besides the dead ones that sometimes litter the highways?
Well lets move onto the positive side, living where we do we are lucky to have local growers, that grow chicken, cows and pigs in a way that is humane and best for all of our physical and environmental health. This week, I ventured out to Greenbranch Farms in Salisbury, MD on a rainy Saturday. I fell in love with the place immediately, a friendly welcoming woman was just opening up the Farm Store when we arrived, and chatted with my 10 year old about seeing the chickens and let her take a walk down the lane to take a peek. We were able to purchase locally raised and produced milk and yogurt from Nice Farms LLC, that my kids think is the best thing ever! Also was able to purchase fresh whole chicken raised right there on the farm, and I bought scrapple, pork chops and sausage, all from their own pigs, raised right there.
Yes, buying local can cost more money, that is true in most cases. BUT I can say across the board, the food that I have purchased has far more taste then anything I have purchased from a grocery store. Keep in mind the expense of health care in America, the prescription drugs that so many rely on, could be eliminated if we went back to basics as far as diet and nutrition. I have made wonderful amounts of tomato puree, salads, rich eggs, creamy milk, eaten the best crusty loaves of bread with locally made butter and refrigerator peach preserves.
After watching Food, Inc yet again, while participating in this Buy Local Challenge, I have realized how much more I have questioned, and am very thankful to do so. I will definitely continue to purchase locally raised & grown food, for the mere fact that it is the best quality you can get, and is also best for our health and the environment.