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10 ways to buy local
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YOU ARE AT: HOME » GET INVOLVED » ACT LOCALLY » 10 WAYS TO BUY LOCAL

Eat organic - buy local
'Eat organic - buy local' is about choosing local and organic produce. Here's a few practical tips:

Go local: 10 ways how


1. Subscribe to an organic veg box scheme. Boxes full of seasonal, freshly picked produce are delivered straight to your door or to a central drop-off point (a great way to meet organic neighbours).

2. Visit the Organic Directory for information on organic box schemes and local food resources.

3. Discover your nearest organic farm.

4. Check out your nearest farmers' market for delicious fresh food, many organic, direct from the farm. Visit www.farmersmarkets.net for more information.

5. Go to your nearest city farm. Contact the Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens which promotes healthy organic food.

6. Grow your own allotment. Call your local council for information or contact the National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners for a fact sheet on how to get started.

7. Get the low-down on community supported agriculture (CSA). Visit www.cuco.org.uk for loads of resources including our online action manual.

8. Find out about other local food links, like the Women's Institute country markets, community composting, LETS (local exchange and trading systems) and community orchards. Buy a copy of the Soil Association Local Food for Local People.

9. Shop locally and support your local specialist shops. The extra pennies you spend are a vote for the quality of life.

10. Cook a local meal once a week. Ask your grandmother/neighbour for a local traditional recipe and invite friends round to try it. Try our seasonal, organic recipes on whyorganic.org.

Go local: 10 reasons why

1. Encourages quality healthy eating with freshly-picked seasonal fruit and vegetables as well as local specialities

2. Reduces processing and packaging

3. Supports organic and low-input agriculture thus enriching biodiversityand wildlife

4. Kinder to animals by decentralising the distribution system thus reducing live animal transport and and hindering the development of national disease epidemics like foot and mouth

5. Boosts rural economy - latest research from the New Economic Foundation shows that money spent on locally-produced food generates almost twice as much income for the local economy as the same amount spent in a typical supermarket

6. Ensures farmers' fair share by avoiding the middleman

7. Creates better understanding between town and country and helps support improvements in farming

8. Cuts down on air miles, the least environmentally-friendly form of transport

9. Nurtures identity of local community

10. Develops food culture - food is no longer anonymous but comes with a local story - customer knows where produce came from, what variety/breed it is
» more about our eat organic - buy local campaign



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