Friday, January 16, 2015

Local produce argument

In fairness to Dr.Hanrahan, I did not extrapolate upon the farming discussion further because I figured it would take all class.
For some reason it seems as if the importance was not highlighted thoroughly enough for every one to hear just WHY local produce is so important. The thing about local businesses and local farming is that you know exactly where your food is coming from, what chemicals are used on it, and can personally know the farmers and business owners because they want you to buy from them to support their living. The amount of money from just $100 more a year going to local businesses or local farmers makes such an impact in our economy. There's a link I'll find and post later that proves exactly that. I've been in a position where my family has not had a ton of money. I'm sure a lot of us have all been there. I've always created a garden with my mother and have helped nurture it in order to help feed my family. Yes, I understand that if you're in a small apartment, you probably can't grow a pumpkin patch. Yet, answer me this: are plants illegal to have in apartments? No. Even just growing and drying your own herbs will help with the cost of groceries. There are MANY cost effective and healthy ways to help contribute to your families meal, and even profit off of a garden yourself. Now, I understand that we are people of convenience. Hot pockets, mac n cheese, and other foods are so simple and quick to make that we disregard the fact that there could be other options some times. I'm simply trying to say that there needs to be a balance. As for people who say that there are families with so many children that they can't support them with fresh, local, foods all the time: I would personally question how much your childrens lives and your own personal lives were worth to you. Is saving a couple extra bucks really worth the price of your health? Really?
With GMO's and big corporations selling us chemically ridden foods, the time to buy locally is more important now than ever. Did you know with genetically modified crops, genomes are being taken out that have the reproductive gene? So eventually we will no longer be able to eat an apple and grow an apple tree from those seeds. You know what will eventually happen when local farms aren't being supported and bought out by large corporations? You get to eat whatever chemically ridden, processed food that they desire. Do you know the requirements for poultry to be considered a 'free range chicken' by FDA standards? For meat chickens, they are kept in an enclosed, dark, building with a small hole in one of the walls to outside. There is no actual requirement to the size of the hole, and whether the chicks be forced outside. They're raised in a dark environment, and will more than ever likely NOT go outside because they don't know what it is. Genetically modified meat chickens have been made so they get so fat so fast that if you don't slaughter them with in so many weeks then their legs break from their weight. Does this sound fair?
Not to mention the USDA occasionally works with large corporations to make sure small businesses are forced to sell out. And for what? So people have convenience and can compromise their health. Even looks over beak cutting and malnutrition.

Also, with legitimate free range chickens that are allowed outside to graze, the things that they eat are transferred to the eggs they produce which acts as a natural allergy pill. Same goes for local honey.

There's so much importance for local farming. It's so you don't have to eat chemically ridden produce and take a guessing game as to how the animal was treated before it got to your plate.
I'll put up links to further information later in the comments section.

- Laura

( an equestrian, lamb and goat marketer, steer raiser, FREE range chicken butcher/fresh egg seller, president of the ARBA rabbit sellers association, fish farmer, aquaculture supporter, gardener, high school green house manager, and proud FFA member)

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