Posted on by Carrie Levy

How to Find Local and Organic Food in Your New City

Eating healthy is so important, so finding local, organic and sustainable food is so important when moving to a new city especially. Not only does it keep you connected to your community, but it also allows you to support your local farmers, making sure that your dollars are going back into your local area—not into faraway places. To top it off local and organic food proves to provide a healthier and more responsible life for your body and soul.

Once you get off the moving truck and unpack all of your belongings, you are going to realize quickly that it is time to cook. Check out the website LocalHarvest.org this website provides  a milieu of choices as to what kind of food/shops/farms/markets you are looking for in your community. It also lets you search by state, city or zip code to best get the results you are looking for.

On Local Harvest, there are a number of types of food stores that you can search for. To name a few,

  • CSA: Community Supported Agriculture, this type of business has individuals buy into shares on the farm to invest in the growth of local and seasonal, usually organic vegetables that you pick up to enjoy bi weekly
  • Farms: Local farmers that sell directly to consumers and that do not go through stores, or a third party. The less hands that touch your food the fresher and the safer.
  • Local Restaurants: You may ask, what is the difference between a local and non local restaurant? Well its simple. Do they ship in food or do they buy from local farmers and support local agriculture? Are they a chain that is available all over the country or are they a local shop specific to your community? Local restaurants again bring your dollars back to the community and can many times buy from local and organic growers.
  • Grocery/Food Co-op: This is a fun and important part of every sustainable food community. Becoming a part of a co-op means that you are now a part of the solution for sustainable eating and living, not to mention are filling your fridge with local organic food. As a member, you are part owner of the store and have a say as to how things are handled.

Don’t ever forget: food is important! Where it comes from, how you get it, how it is grown. Using local harvest.org will not only connect you with your new community, but lead you down a road of health and sustainability.