In the GTA, we’re lucky to be surrounded by farms with rich soil and a booming agricultural industry which provides us with a variety of seasonal produce. By purchasing fresh, locally grown produce from Ontario’s Greenbelt, we can support our local farmers.
As we celebrate Local Food Week, it’s a great time to remember to look out for local fruits and veggies at the store or better yet at your local farmers’ market.
Below are a few reasons it’s important to buy your fruits and veggies close to home:
- Local food is better for you.
Crops are picked at their peak. When you buy close to home, that mean less time lost between the farm and your table, which means it’s less likely that nutrients will be lost from your food.
- Local food supports local farms.
When you buy local food, you are supporting our local farmers and Ontario’s economy.
- Local food preserves Ontario farmland.
Keeping farms in business lessens the chance of having prime farmland sold for development. When you buy local you are helping to prevent urban sprawl.
- Local food creates a connection to your food sources
When you buy locally grown food, you can become more connected to where your food comes from and the people who produce it. Buying locally can give you insights into the seasons, land, and our vibrant agricultural communities. That tomato wasn’t flown to your grocery store from a far away place. Instead, it was grown on a farm just outside the city. Buying local can cut down the distance between grower and eater.
- Local food is an investment in the future
By supporting local farmers today, you’re helping to ensure that there will be farms and farmers in our communities tomorrow. Having a strong farming industry helps to make sure Ontarians continue to enjoy access to fresh, local food.
This season, buy local and take the Greenbelt Pledge to show you support protecting green spaces and farmlands in Ontario’s Greenbelt.
Want to do more? Tweet about why you love local food. Use the hashtags: #ONGreenbelt #LoveONTfood
