As many of you might have already noticed, finding local sources of local farm fresh food is difficult. The Orlando metro area, which once had thriving agricultural enterprises, instead is filled with urban sprawl. Fortunately, the times are changing. People in Orlando are searching high and low for free-range eggs, fresh milk, local organic produce, and much more. Many have formed co-ops and bring in food from around the US. While commendable, I’m of the opinion that we should support and source food from around Florida and Orlando as much as possible. There some obvious obstacles of course, chief among them is the price of land. Second we need suppliers of natural, non-toxic feed for the animals. Third, we need laws to encourage the growth of local meat processing operations. I do not mean the large slaughterhouses on an industrial scale but rather small mom and pop operations. Smaller operations are easier to keep clean and you can build a personal relationship with them. Can you imagine the return of your local butcher that offers grass-fed meat, lamb and truly pastured chickens? So what can you do? Buy local first. Follow the 80-20 rule. Try to buy a larger portion of your food locally and the remainder from conventional sources. Second, write your local, state and federal representatives to make your voice heard. In these economic troubles, buying locally will have an immediate positive impact.
Please visit these resources below to get started:
Click on Find Local Food
http://www.holisticlivingschool.org/coop
http://apmarket.wordpress.com/
Sphere: Related ContentTags: central Florida, eggs, Florida, free-range, grass-fed food, Orlando, pastured chicken, raw milk