6 reasons why we should buy farm products
1) Know where your food comes from
A regular trip to a farmers market or finding a local food source is one of the best ways to connect with where your food comes from. Meeting and talking to the farmers and food artisans is a great opportunity to learn more about how and where food is produced.
2) Nourish Yourself
Much food found in the grocery stores in highly processed and grown using pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, and genetic modification. Some of it has been irradiated, waxed or gassed in transit. These practices may have negative effects on human health. In contrast most food found at local farms is minimally processes, and many farmers go to great lengths to grow the most nutritious produce possible by using sustainable techniques, picking produce right before the market, and growing heirloom varieties.
3) Taste
Simply put, there is no comparison between pasture raised meats and feedlot produced meat. Competitively priced, it’s an easy decision to go with the healthy choice.
4) Protect the Environment
Food in the U.S. travels an average of 1,500 miles to get to your plate. All this shipping uses large amount of natural resources, contributes to pollution and creates waste with extra packaging. However, many local farm products travel shorter distances and generally grown using methods that minimize the impact on the earth.
5) Support the Family Farms
Family farms need your support now that large, subsidized, agribusiness dominates food production in the U.S. Therefore, small family farms have a hard time competing in the food marketplace. Buying directly from the farmers gives them a better return for their produce and gives them a fighting chance in today’s globalized economy.
6) Did we mention the health benefits?
Grass-fed beef is better for human health than grain-fed beef in ten different ways, according to the most comprehensive analysis to date. The 2009 study was a joint effort between the USDA and researchers at Clemson University in South Carolina. Compared with grain-fed beef, grass-fed beef was:
- Lower in total fat
- Higher in beta-carotene
- Higher in vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol)
- Higher in the B-vitamins thiamin and riboflavin
- Higher in the minerals calcium, magnesium, and potassium
- Higher in total omega-3s
- A healthier ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids (1.65 vs 4.84)
- Higher in CLA (cis-9 trans-11), a potential cancer fighter
- Higher in vaccenic acid (which can be transformed into CLA)
- Lower in the saturated fats linked with heart disease
- For your natural living lifestyle
