There are many good reasons to buy locally grown food. It puts money back into the local economy; it protects the environment by decreasing the usage of fossil fuel and plastic; it is healthier and fresher, because it doesn’t spend days and weeks traveling; it creates a sense of community, and it is usually cheaper. I think that these reasons are good enough to break the habit of going to the supermarket and start buying locally. However, if you are specifically looking for organic food, remember – locally grown isn’t necessarily a synonym for organic.

Locally grown usually means that it was grown within a 100-mile radius; sometimes it is 150, sometimes 250. Organically grown means that it was grown on certified organic land, without the use of chemicals and fertilizers. So organic produce doesn’t have to mean local, and local doesn’t have to mean organic. However, many local farmers claim that they grow their produce using only organic ingredients.

When it doubt, always ask. If farmers don’t have certified organic certification, it doesn’t mean they are lying. They might not have time or don’t want to spend money to obtain it. Or they might have enough customers who know them and trust them, so why bother with the certification.

If you live in Pennsylvania or Ohio or somewhere nearby, buy from the Amish community. Their products are organically grown and are usually delicious. As a matter of fact, 80% of Amish customers are non-Amish.

If you don’t feel like looking for local farms in the area and want to continue shopping in supermarket, there is good news. Some supermarkets and grocery stores started giving some shelf space to local farmers. Usually, locally grown food would have “locally grown” labels on them; or in some stores it will have a separate corner or a shelf with a “locally grown” sign on it.

Locally grown doesn’t have to mean organic, but it could be. If you decide to support local farms, support organic. Protect not only the environment, but your health as well.

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