Eat Local

Eating locally produced foods serves several important purposes:

• Reduces environmental impact of long distance food transport
• Helps maintain open space and farmland which can reduce the effects of global warming
• Sustains local farming communities which in turn sustain the local economy
• Shortens the time from harvest to table which produces better tasting food and reduces or eliminates the need for preservatives

Better tasting food, easier on the environment, and better for our communities - reason enough for everyone to get on board! Here are some links and resources so you too can begin to eat more locally produced food.

Community Supported Agriculture

• By joining a local CSA farm you can enjoy a weekly share of freshly harvested, and often organic, produce that's in season. Click here for a list of CSAs available in your area. I am a member of Monroe Organic Farms who deliver to various drop-off locations in the Denver area.

Farmers' Markets

• If you're not sure of your weekly produce needs or don't feel ready to commit to a weekly farm share, visit your local farmers' market to shop. Make sure to ask vendors where the products are grown and strike up a conversation with a farmer. Click here for markets in the Colorado area or to search for your location.

Local, Grass-Fed Meat

Do you have any idea where or how the cattle were raised for that steak you ate last night? Most of us only see our meat packaged in styrofoam and plastic wrap and really don't know how our meat is produced. Grass-fed animals are easier on the environment and taste great plus buying meat locally reduces transport effects and sustains our local ranchers and farmers. Visit www.eatwild.com for meat suppliers in your area.

I purchase directly from:

• Sun Prairie Beef (Keith Parks) - 25 or 50 pound orders of grass raised-grass finished, pure bred Angus beef, dry-aged minimum 14 days, no containment/feedlots, antibiotics, or growth hormones; delivered to your home twice a year. Key in "kitchencoach" when you are checking out for a 5% discount.
• Rocky Plains Quality Meats (Phil Haynes) - naturally raised, hormone-free bison, pork, chicken; farm store located near Dacono
• Foxfire Farms (purchased through Phil Haynes) - organically raised, grass-fed, free-range, naturally processed lamb
• Eastern Plains Natural Foods (Dallas Gilbert) - heritage breed turkeys (sold under Maverick Ranch label at Marczyk's) and both heritage breed and all natural chicken; farm located near Bennett, delivers into Denver occasionally.

Restaurants

When dining out, ask the waiter or chef what locally produced foods they are featuring. You'll likely be delighted with a seasonal dish, will send a message to the restaurant that eating local is important to consumers, and will help sustain those local purveyors at the same time.