Alright class, we know what an omnivore, a herbivore and a carnivore is. Does anyone know what a locavore is? Does anyone know what it means? No, it doesn't mean a person who eats crazy people. No, it isn't a dinosaur built like a train. Anyone? Bueller?
A locavore is someone who only eats food that is grown locally. The locavore movement began during the World Environment Day in 2005 by four young women who offered a month-long dietary challenge to people in Northern California to eat locally grown foods.
The challenge encouraged supporting local farmers and using renewable resources to increase farming profitability and improve environmental and socio-economic health.
The ultrastrict locavores avoid all ingredients that have not been grown and produced locally. The wildcard locavores - my kind of people - are less restrictive and allow coffee, sugar, chocolate or any ingredients they feel they just can't live without.
Since there is not a real definition of what is considered locally grown food, many locavores use the 100-mile radius as a rule of thumb. Supermarket food usually travels thousands of miles before you purchase it. Food that is grown locally is usually sold within 24 hours of the harvest.
If you aren't convinced yet, consider these points. As a locavore, you will support endangered family farms. You will strengthen your local economy by purchasing food from the farmers' market, for example. You are protecting the environment because not as much fuel is used when shipping locally. And last but not least, you will feel better because you are consuming fresh ingredients.
If you are convinced, visit these Web sites for more information about the lovavore movement.
Locavores Freakonomics - www:freakonomics.blogs.nytimes.com/tag/locavores/
Locavore Blogs - www. wordpress.com/tag/locavores/
Serious Eats - http://www.seriouseats.com/tags/locavores
Are you a locavore? Are you considering it? I want to know. E-mail me at mzimmerman@hickoryrecord.com or comment on this article at www. hickoryrecord.com.
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